Flight of the Tides
by Abby-Jade-Love
Summary: After a fight with Fang, Max finds herself at the Hoover Dam about to save the world. Though she knows not to trust anyone, she feels a connection with Percy and together they discover a secret hidden with Max's lineage. NOT a Percy/Max. Pre TAE, mid TTC.
1. Prologue

"_It is an interesting biological fact that all of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt that exists in the ocean, and therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go to the ocean—whether it is to sail or to watch it—we are going back from whence we came." –John F. Kennedy_

My name is Maximum Ride. I'm a human-avian hybrid, or, at least, I thought I was. There are so many things I didn't know about myself. My entire life, everyone had lied to me. The whitecoats, Jeb, my parents… No one had told me the truth about who I was. I had grown up caged in lies and deceit.

Then one day changed it all.

They say that life is a journey to finding yourself. I've learned a lot recently. I discovered some things about myself- things I could never have imagined to be possible. My blood, my heritage… Well, let's just say I'm not what I thought I was.

Searching for oneself is hard. It involves trials and pain and heartbreak. It comes with old and new faces; lies and truths; friends and enemies. The biggest struggle of it all is knowing the difference between right and wrong- and discovering whether or not you even care.

I never saw it coming. Any of it. If I had- well, maybe I wouldn't have looked so hard or tried so much. Percy says the truth is a blessing to us, and without it we're living in deception. I don't know- deception doesn't seem so bad to me. The consequences of the truth are huge- especially when the truth isn't exactly what you want to hear.

This is a story about the truth, about finding yourself. My story is a difficult one. I have made many choices that I regret and have lost so much. But this isn't that story. It's time to go back from whence _I _came, and tell you the tale of how I met Percy Jackson and discovered my true bloodline.

So hold on to your surfboards, ladies and gentlemen. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

-Max

**AN: Hey, guys, still editing the old chapters, but I will have the next new one up by Sunday night, okay?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my alternate plotline. The characters and anything else you recognize from this story belong to Rick Riordan and James Patterson. **

**AJ**


	2. Its Max vs Fang

**Okay, two chapters (sort of) in one night. I really hope people like this story. Oh, and, for the record, I forgot to say this last chapter, PLEASE PUT CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENTS IN YOUR REVIEWS! For example: **

**Bad= OMG! THAT WAS SO GOOD! UPDATE SOON! I LOVEZ IT! EEP!**

**-or-**

**THAT WAS REALLY BAD! HORRIBLE! DON'T WRITE!**

**Good= That was good! I really liked (insert good qualities here so the ever writing author can add more good content).**

**-or-**

**That was not very good. I think (insert area that needs improvement so the author has a purpose to write and is not emotionally hurt-though it doesn't happen often).**

**People, CONSTRUCTIVE CRTITISISM IS MY FRIEND. Don't be afraid to criticize my writing, please.**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN MAXIMUM RIDE, PERCY JACKSON, OR THE WONDERFUL QUOTE AT THE START OF THIS CHAPTER.**

_**Book One- The Flight of the Currents**_

**It's Max vs. Fang**

"_A simple friend thinks the friendship over when you have an argument. A real friend knows that it's not a friendship until after you've had a fight."  
-Unknown _

"Fang, where the hell have you been? We've been waiting for you to come home for three days!" I screamed at my best friend. He had taken off three days ago to fly and that was the last time we had seen him. I had been really worried, and so had the others.

"I was flying." Ugh! I hate when he does that! He says the least amount that he can to answer a question and he says it without emotion. 

Where did you go?" I asked, trying not to completely explode in anger, I was the leader now; he had to respect that and the fact that I need to know when he leaves for three days.

"Out."

"Really? And here I was thinking you had been flying around in the basement." Sarcastic venom dripped off my tongue, poisoning my every word. "No _flippin' duh, _Fang! Why the _hell _did you take off like that?"

"I wanted some air."

"For _three days?_"

"Yes."

I was fuming. If this was a cartoon, my face would be scrunched up and beat red. Steam would be coming out of my ears with that loud whistling sound in the background. As it was, my eyes were narrowed, and I was fighting to keep my fists unclenched.

Then Fang finally spoke but they were words I didn't want to hear and they hit me like a punch in the gut. "I don't get what the problem is. Jeb wanted us to fly and exercise our wings.

I reeled, dumfounded. Jeb was our father figure. He helped us escape from the school, taught us how to fly and fight. His disappeared last year. We all knew he was dead but we didn't want to say it aloud. There was no question about it. We never spoke of him in fear that saying it would make it final, like he really was never coming back, that we were on our own now.

"Jeb's not in charge anymore, Fang. I am. I'm the leader now," I said, my voice steely.

"Jeb was a better leader than you'll ever be."

His words hit me harder than anything I've ever felt before. I'd take a million beating, tests, and experiments from the School over this. Hell, it felt like a part of me had _died._ None of the physical pain the School ever caused me could compare to this. This was _Fang._ He was the one person I thought I could count on to be there for me forever. If I wanted to charge and army of erasers, he would help me kick ass. If I wanted to jump in a volcano, he would jump behind me with a rope. I needed him. But here he was, telling me I couldn't be a good leader. Tears sprung into my eyes as I turned on my heels and ran through the hall.

I ran to my room and opened the window, grabbing my backpack and jumping out into the Colorado Mountains. I snapped out my wings and flew at top speed away from the house, salty tears streaming down my face the whole time. I didn't know where I was going, only that I had to get away from _Fang._

**That's chapter one. It's one of my shorter chapters by far, but I think I did okay. I had trouble writing Jeb as a good guy. I don't like him. At all. Next chapter will probably be up tomorrow night or Tuesday. Thank God that America is a democracy (sort of) and we have Election Day off of school. Tell me what you guys thought.**

**Percy comes in soon. I promise.**

**Abby Jade Love**


	3. Raining Pain

**Author's Note: Hey guys! I know I said I'd have this up by Tuesday at the latest, but I got sick. I mean, I've been sick, but I was diagnosed (ugh) with bronchitis today. Plus, my word document broke down, so I am now relying on my mom's laptop. But I will try to get it fixed so I can update this story more often. **

**Anonymous review reply:**

**Maggie- **_Hmm… You're the first person I've met who's hated Fang… I personally don't hate him, but I could work a few Max/Fang fights in… I've got a couple fights planned in my mind… Some are kind of stupid, so I will most likely not use them, but there are a few that are developing in my head. I won't have Max hate Fang, because I'm trying to stay as in-character as possible in a crossover fic. Thanks for the review. Any advice/ suggestions are always welcome._

_AJL_

_ PS- You have the same name as my little sister : -)_

**Okay, enough of the authors note. On with the story!**

_ "The person who tries to live alone will not succeed as a human being. His heart withers if it does not answer another heart. His mind shrinks away if he hears only the echoes of his own thoughts and finds no inspiration." _Pearl S. Buck

I flew through the sky, tears streaming down my face. How could he do that? He's supposed to be my best friend. I tell him everything. How could he just hurt me like that?

_Stop it, Max. Don't cry. Tears are for weak people only. You're Maximum Ride. Toughen up._

I breathed in deeply.

"_Jeb was a better leader than you'll ever be…"_

I don't think Fang will ever realize just how badly he hurt me with those words… A few months ago I was going through files on Jeb's desk and found a report from the school. It was dated January 13, 2006. _This year._ We had escaped the school three years ago. Why would a report be dated from just this year with information on us? It wasn't possible unless… unless Jeb was still working for the school. Not even Fang knew this. I had found it just a month after he died. I knew it would hurt the others. Yes, Fang was emotionally stronger than the kids were, but I knew he cared about Jeb. He would be so angry- probably disbelieving- if I told him. I couldn't do that to them- to him. For Fang to say Jeb was better than me? It was heartbreaking. My best friend me that a traitor was better at leading the flock than I was. For that reason, I couldn't go back. It's not like I'll never return, but I really need to be alone for a while. I don't hate Fang. How can I? He's my best friend, and my brother. Everything inside of me was screaming at me to run back and kill him, then just be with my best friend. But then there's the pride inside of me that refuses to admit defeat. I _can't _go back because that would be giving in. So I landed in a cave and curled up, crying myself to sleep, thinking of Fang, and the Flock, and Jeb. My last thought before sleep took over?

_Fang, if you don't protect them, I'll kill you, you son of a bitch._

When I woke up the next morning and felt the cold, hard cave floor, and touched my face to find it puffy and sticky with dried salty tears, I began to cry again. As I cried, rain poured outside the cave, as if reacting to my emotions. I cried for a while before taking a deep breath.

_No. I won't cry today. I'll think, I'll be sappy, and I'll reflect on yesterday, all the while trying to figure out what the _hell _I'm supposed to do with Fang, but I will not cry._

As I told myself this, I could feel anger taking over my sadness. My tears stopped, but the rain outside got furious, as if God sensed my anger. I stood up, turned, and punched the cave wall, releasing some of my anger. Then I faced the cave's mouth, and leapt out into the rain, flying off so fast in whatever direction. I didn't know and I didn't care. Today, I was going to figure things out so I could get home to my Flock. No matter how angry I was at Fang, my flock needed me and I needed them. But I wanted to get this thing with Fang straight, maybe even kick his ass… okay, definitely kick his ass, but I want things to be comfortable with us again.

Too bad life has a habit of getting in my way.

**A/N: Okay, so that was the chapter. Constructive reviews please!**

**By the way, those of you who LOVE amazing fanfics about Percy Jackson- and possibly have read the Red Pyramid (whether you did or not, whether you liked it or not) - there is a fanfiction that I have been obsessed with lately! It's called **_The Death God Alliance_** by **_Asilda_. **It's really good. The sequel has been coming good too. Check it out, guys!**

**Thanks for reading! Review please!**

**~-aBbY JaDe lOvE- ~**


	4. The First Meeting

**A/N: Hey guys. Two chapters in one night again… If I can get this one finished tonight… bronchitis sucks, guys. Stay healthy.**

**Oh, this chapter is Percy's Point of view. I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians (thank God, I'd screw it up sooooo much) and I don't own Maximum Ride. (Yeah, JP has been screwing up those books lately, so I will never incorporate The Final Warning, MAX, or FANG, in this story, okay?)**

**Oh, and some of this chapter is copied out of the book. Paperback edition **_**The Titan's Curse: **_**page 208-209**

**I strongly suggest you read **_The Titan's Curse_ **before reading this chapter, because I don't really care to explain in a story what is going on. You should have read the first three books at least. However, if anybody **_**does**_** need me to explain, review and/or pm me.**

"_Individually, we are a drop. Together, we are an ocean."_ – Ryunosuke Satora

"Moooo."

The smile melted off my face. I wondered if the noise was just in my head, but Grover had stopped laughing, too. He looked around confused. "Did I just hear a cow?"

"A dam cow?" Thalia laughed.

"No," Grover said. "I'm serious."

Zoë listened. "I hear nothing."

Thalia was looking at me. "Percy are you okay?"

"Yeah," I said. "I… I just need a minute. To think."

They hesitated, but I guess I must've looked upset, because they finally went into the visitor center without me. As soon as they were gone, I jogged to the north edge of the dam and looked over.

"Moo."

She was about thirty feet below in the lake, but I could see her clearly: my friend from the Long Island Sound, Bessie the cow serpent.

I looked around. There were groups of kids running along the dam. A lot of senior citizens. Some families. But nobody seemed to be paying Bessie any attention yet. Except one girl. She had brown hair with lighter streaks from the sun and dark skin. She looked about my age. She was wearing ripped jeans that were stained with dirt and splattered with… was that _blood?_ Her windbreaker was torn and her face was scratched. Despite looking like she had rolled down a mountain covered with spikes and pine needles, she didn't seem in pain… well, not physically, anyway. There's an air about her that was haunted… like she was missing someone important to her.

I blinked, realizing I just basically psychoanalyzed this girl with one look. That was a lot for someone I just met.

The girl seemed to sense I was watching her. She stiffened and turned to face me with a sharp look. Her dark brown eyes glared at me.

"Please tell me I'm not the only person who sees a _cow_ with a _serpent's tail."_

She could see Bessie? So she was a half-blood… or a goddess in disguise, which I doubt because she looked completely confused. She must not know who she is.

"You're not the only one. I can see her too. I named her Bessie."

She scrutinized me. "Bessie? You named a cow with a serpent's tail, _Bessie?_"

"Yeah, why?"

"It seems too… _normal._"

I shrugged. "Yeah, but with my life, I could use something normal in my life, even if it is just a name.'

"Tell me about it."

"You too, huh?"

"You have no idea."

I smiled. "I'm Percy," I said, sticking my hand out.

"Max. And no offense, but I don't shake hands." I raised my eyebrows. That seemed odd, but I shrugged it off and let my hand fall to my side.

"Nice name. It suits you, somehow."

"You don't even know me," she said skeptically.

I shrugged. "Maybe. But I guess you just give off that vibe."

"What vibe?" She asked curiously.

"You know, the one that says 'back off or I'll kick your but'."

"Well, thanks, I guess. Now will you tell me why the Hell we're the only ones who can see _Bessie?"_

"It might take a while." I motioned toward an open table nearby. "Care to sit?"

"Sure."

When we had sat down she looked at me. "Alright, explain."

"Well, first off, what do you know about Greek mythology?"

She shrugged. "The basics. The movie stuff. I didn't have much schooling, so what I know I get from TV. I know about the gods, the goddesses, the Olympians, the heroes, the three divisions, the monsters, and everything else that movies can twist into a plotline."

"Yeah, that's the basics, I guess. You're going to need to know more about them if you want to survive in this world. Long story, short: the myths are real. All the gods, the goddesses, the heroes, the monsters… they exist."

I paused to see her reaction, fearing that she would freak out, call me crazy, and run away. It would cause her to be in danger, not knowing how to protect herself, and I didn't want that. In all honesty, I liked this girl. I felt a pull that kept me near her, screaming at me to keep her safe. So far she didn't look like she thought I was insane, so I took it as a good sign and continued.

"The gods still come down and have kids with mortals. Those kids- demigods or half-bloods- they see things differently than regular mortals do. There's a layer of mist clouding the mortals' visions that protect the secret."

She regarded me with a look I couldn't decipher. "So basically you're saying we're able to see '_Bessie,'_" she said mockingly, "Because we're the children of _gods._"

I nodded. "I know it's a lot to take in. I went crazy at first, denying everything. The fact that I had just lost my mother in a fight with a monster didn't help either."

"Well, that sucks." She looked at me. Not with pity, but with understanding.

"Yup. But it's alright now," I said, shrugging. "I got her back, and now she's safe and happy… well, when I'm not almost dying on her… which is often."

She nodded. " I believe you, Percy. There's something about you… Well, it makes me think you're telling the truth, whatever it is."

"You feel that, too?" I asked, startled, because I had felt that way since we first started talking.

"Yeah, what is that?"

"I don't know… Pure instinct, I guess."

"So who's your father… at least, I assume it's your father, because the way you described your mother made her seem… normal."

"No, you're right. My father is Poseidon."

"The god of the seas? No offense or anything, Percy, but wasn't he supposed to be kind of a dick in the stories? I mean, I _do _know the story of Odysseus, believe it or not."

I shrugged. "Yeah, maybe… I don't know. I've only met him once, and he seemed nice enough, but I know the myths… I guess it's just… he's my father, you know? I don't _want _to believe that stuff about him."

"I understand. Now, on a more fun topic, do you have any kick ass water powers?"

I grinned. "Duh! Max, I'm the son of one of the three most powerful gods. I'm pretty powerful in that I kick butt wherever I go with water on my side."

She smirked, teasingly. "Maybe that's true, but I bet you I could still kick your ass in hand-to-hand combat."

I snorted. "I doubt that."

"Oh yeah? Want to bet on that?"

"We will definitely have to settle this soon."

"Hell, yeah."

We glared in the face of a challenge soon to come. I had a feeling this would be one of the pleasurable ones though.

_For whatever we lose (like a you or a me) it's always ourselves we find in the sea." –e. e. Cummings_

"So, from what I remember," Max said, "The Greek myths had a whole bunch of sweet little monsters that just love to eat people, right?"

I smiled. "Yeah, you're right. Those are still alive, too. And every time I'm around them, they tend to try to kill me. It's odd… it's like they really _do _want to eat me… I wonder why that is… It must be because I'm so tasty."

She grinned. "No, you're not tasty. They just want to rid the world of such torture. They're really nice."

I put on a hurt face. "Maxine, I'm hurt!"

She glared at me. Not just any glare, but a Hades-worthy glare. "My name is _Max _not _Maxine._ My name has _never_ been Maxine. My full name, if you must know, is _Maximum."_

"Your name is Maximum?" I asked, shocked. It wasn't like I thought it was a bad name, it fit her in a way, but what mother looks at their child at birth and says, 'Oh isn't she adorable! Let's name her Maximum!'

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, it's just… what kind of mother names their daughter that? It's not exactly a common name."

I knew I had said something wrong when her face hardened into a mask of coldness that wasn't there before.

"Percy, I wasn't just kidding when I said I had a hard life. I don't know either of my parents. I was- let's just say '_adopted'-_ at birth. The people who adopted me… weren't exactly nice. I ran away three years ago with a few of my friends. I named myself… _I_ chose Maximum. My best friend shortened it to Max." She spoke in a hard tone that let me know what she was talking about wasn't what she wanted too. I had a feeling she hadn't exactly been adopted, but that there was something… sinister behind it. I had unintentionally crossed a line.

"Max… I'm sorry. I didn't know." I felt horrible for bringing up such a sensitive subject. Her childhood… I felt bad for her… not exactly out of pity, but I couldn't be sorry for her if it wasn't my fault… but someone this incredible shouldn't have been raised without a family.

"How could you have?" She still had the bitter tone.

I wanted to ask more about her childhood, but I knew it was a hard subject for her and didn't want to obtrude on her. Even though it somehow felt connected to her, I had just met this girl about thirty minutes ago. She's not my best friend, or even a friend I've known for a while. We didn't know each other's secrets and it would be rude to ask about them when we just me.

"Your best friend?" I remembered, trying to lighten the conversation. It didn't work, however, and I saw it when she stiffened.

She nodded. "Yeah," she said, saddened. "He's actually the reason why I'm here. We got in a fight and now I'm avoiding him."

"You came all the way to the Hoover Dam just because you got in a fight with your best friend?" I asked incredulously.

She nodded and smiled a small, sad smile. "I never said how far I had to come. Besides, being on the run… well, it's not exactly like I can just storm away and hide in my bedroom."

"On the run from what?" My ADHD let the question slip past my lips before common sense could kick in and stop it.

Max regarded me coldly. "It doesn't matter."

I doubted that, but let it slide anyway.

She looked away for a moment then met my eyes again. "So… if all these monsters come after you, how do you fight them off?"

"Um… we train with swords. There's a camp I go to… a place for people like us where we learn to fight battles."

"So that way, when Medusa comes to paralyze you for all eternity, you can kill her like… it was Perseus who did that, right? Or was it Theseus?"

Thunder rumbled overhead, though the sky was clear. "Um… yes, exactly, and that's who I'm named after actually, but if you don't mind, could you please not say their names?"

She grinned, a teasing glint in her eye. "'Fear of the name only increases fear of the thing itself.' Haven't you ever seen _Harry Potter_, Percy?"

"Fear is not the only thing that keeps people from saying names, Maximum. And who _hasn't _seen _Harry Potter?_"

She shrugged. "So what's the problem?"

"Well, saying the names of monster or gods is dangerous."

"Dangerous how?"

"Let's just say it's like sending a message to them that says, 'come smite me.'"

She blinked and looked at me oddly. "'_Come smite me?'_ Really? Smite?"

I grinned. "Something like that, yeah."

"What does smite even mean?"

I shrugged, thinking about it. "Um… I don't know… Something to do with killing… or torture… at least, that's what I get out of it."

She grinned. "Killing and torture… Good to know."

"Point is, it's bad."

"So how do I know whose daughter I am?" She asked, curiously.

"Well, you don't really, until you're claimed by your mother or father. Some remain unclaimed and don't know who their parents are."

"So how did you find out?"

"Well, we were playing capture the flag at camp-"

She cut me off. "The one for demigods?"

"Yes, so our capture the flag is different. We have swords… and vicious children of Ares…"

"The war god?"

"That's the one, yeah." I shivered, thinking about the last time I had met him. It made my blood boil, something Max obviously caught, because she snorted.

"Unhappy memories?" she asked.

I breathed in. "Yeah. The last time I met him, he tried to kill me and cause a war that could pretty much be the apocalypse."

"Well, he sounds like a very charming man." She grinned at me.

I scoffed. "Oh, yes. Definitely a true prince."

She laughed.

"Anyway, his daughter, Clarisse, had beaten be up pretty bad. I fell into the creek and the water began to heal me. There was a hologram of a trident above my head."

"That's cool."

I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

"So what's your dad like?"

I stiffened. "I've only met him once, and when I did, he called me a mistake, but… I got the feeling that he was nice, I suppose, for a god that has many things on his plate, he probably doesn't want to have to worry about a stupid kid that was made by accident."

She shifted, clearly uncomfortable. I don't know what about, but it probably had something to do with being close to a freak like me. She seemed to be deciding on something before she leaned forward across the small table where we were sitting and rested her hand on my shoulder.

"Percy," she hesitated. "You're not- you're not a mistake. I mean, I don't know you, and I'm not going to pass judgment over you, good or bad, mostly because I don't know you, but no kid is a mistake. Trust me, I've been called that plenty, but… well, it's not true, okay?"

"Thank you. But other than that, I don't know him well, so I wouldn't know how he views me."

"I'm sure as any good father would look at their son- with pride and a little love."

I smiled at her. "You're really big on the whole 'believe-in-yourself' thing, huh?"

She grinned. "You know it."

I looked at her curiously. "You're not freaking out on me. Why?"

She shifted. "I guess… I've always been a freak. I guess this is partly why."

"What happened to believing in yourself?" I asked her. "Being different doesn't make us freaks."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not like you, Percy. Maybe I'm a demigod, but there are other things about me, things you don't know. I _am _a freak. That's not a negative thing to be. Being a freak is pretty cool."

**Update- I altered some things in this chapter, like Max's appearance.**


	5. Claimed in Battle

**A/N: This is a combination/edit of some previous chapters of mine that I'm replacing with this.**

**I'll post the next real new chapter this weekend.**

**Disclaimer: I literally own, like, none of this.**

**MPOV**

"_Secrets are made to be figured out with time." –Charles Sanford_

I'll be the first to admit I'm paranoid. I never meet someone without wondering if they have a criminal record and/or doctorate degree in biology or genetics. And let's not forget the possibility of sociopathy. But, hey, when you grow up the way I have, you learn to be cautious, to never trust anyone. Even someone with the facade of being genuinely kind can turn around and stab you in the back.

I know this. I've _lived _this.

So why did I consider Percy different?

I knew I was insane. I had literally just met this guy about… I'd say forty-five minutes ago. Yet… something inside of me… I don't know… _moved_ when I met him. Like there was a secret hidden within me my whole life and now an internal pull was trying to guide me toward him.

Of course I was skeptic. Who wouldn't be? Some kid you just met tells you you're half god, who wouldn't think he's crazy? But something inside of me, that same force that told me to trust him, made me want to believe everything he said. And if you thing about it, it's not that much crazier than my secret.

I mean, come on, I have _wings._ To most people, that's crazy too. So why shouldn't this demigod thing be real?

But I know one thing. No matter how much I, for some insane reason, trust Percy, the flock comes first. I can't tell him my secret, even though everything inside of me is telling me to. I know my loyalties. It isn't that I do or don't trust him, but no matter what, I can't reveal my wings. Even if he was good, which he may be, I'd get the hell out of there-telling him what I was would put him in danger, and I couldn't do that to him.

"So, Maximum, what do you think?" Percy asked.

I smirked at him. "I think my life- our lives- are screwed up pretty damn bad. But hey, I'm used to it, I guess."

He grinned. "You haven't seen anything yet."

"Wanna bet?"

He laughed. "I'm pretty sure your life isn't nearly as messed up as mine."

I rolled my eyes. He didn't know- he couldn't- and it was unfair of me to get mad at him for that. Still, I was irritated at his ignorance. I highly doubt he was raised in a _cage _surrounded by scientists whose job was to _experiment _on him.

I breathed in to calm myself. _Chill out. Percy hasn't done anything. He doesn't know about the School. For all you know, he could have had just as rough a life as you._

"So, Percy," I began, collecting myself. "Why are you here?"

Percy sighed. "I'm here on a quest-"

I cut him off. "Hold on... you actually use the word _quest? _How very _Star Wars _of you_._"

"Yeah, it's weird, I know, but yeah, we do."

I shrugged. "Okay, continue."

"So I'm here on a quest. My best friend, Annabeth, was taken a few days ago and so was Artemis."

"Artemis is the maiden, right?"

"Yes. She was taken to some cave that Luke is holding her- and Annabeth- hostage in. Me and my four- three, now- friends-" he cut off.

"Percy?"

His eyes were opened wide with horror. "Oh, holy Poseidon. My friends are going to _kill_ me. I'm supposed to be on my way to the visitors center. _Crap._ Thalia's going to kick my ass for this."

"Well, go then. It was nice meeting you," I said, taken aback by his sudden change in nature. "Good luck with Annabeth."

He turned to me, shocked. "Max, I can't exactly leave you here. You're a demigod. Plus, I wouldn't want to. You're a friend."

I looked at him and raised my eyebrows. "Friend, huh?"

"W-well-" He stuttered.

I smirked at him. "Don't you think your real friends would be a little curious as to why exactly your bringing along some random demigod you just met?"

He shrugged. "Maybe, but we could use your help. Will you come on, already? The longer I wait her, the more likely it is that I get _killed_ when I get back."

I grinned. "Alright, Percy. I'm coming."

Percy was really frantic. "Dude, chill. What's got you _this _freaked out, Percy?"

He was almost seizing. It was kind of funny. He was shaking and his eyes kept darting around as if he was expecting someone to come out and kill him (which, based on the monster thing, he might be). "I just... Gods, Thalia is going to _kill_ me. And then Zoe will bring me back to life and kill me again," he muttered anxiously.

"Wow, great friends you've got there," I said, sarcasm dripping off my voice like liquid fire falling like rain. Oh, God, I _really_ need to stop being poetic. Seriously, It's weird. We were about half way to the visitor's center when I heard a... _clanging _sound. I stopped in my tracks. "Percy, do you hear that?"

He paused and for a moment, his nervousness stopped controlling him. "Hear what?"

I hesitated, because what I was about to say was... insane. Well, about as insane as, you know, having a god for a parent, being a demigod, having wings, or any of the other chaos that is my life. "It sounds like... _clanging._ But not clanging like pots-and-pans-colliding, but more like... bones rattling together. Does that make sense to you?"

His eyes widened and darted around. This time, I was _sure _he was looking for possible monsters. He must have found some because he froze and glanced at me briefly, before looking to an area covered by trees and shadows. I looked and saw about five men- well, not men really, they look more like skeletons with a very thin, very pale layer of skin- slinked out of the woods and made their way towards us.

_Oh, shit._

"Percy?" I asked, my voice slightly shaking from the disgusting appearance of the monsters- seriously, I'm not kidding. Ever seen a dead body? Yeah, imagine that just walking around in a security guard's outfit. Not pretty.

"Skeleton soldiers," he whispered to me, moving to my side and drawing a pen out of his jacket.

_What the hell? A _pen?_ What is that supposed to do?_ I was about to voice my thoughts out loud when he uncapped the pen and it morphed into a long bronze sword. I may be new at this whole demigod thing, but I could tell that it was a good sword. I saw how Percy held it- with pride and confidence- and knew he had won many battles with it.

The skeletons came toward us and Percy stepped in front of me, protectively, angling his body so he was between me and the monsters.

"Percy," I said, my tone harsh. If there was one thing I hated, it was being underestimated, which Percy seemed to be doing. "I can fight for myself, you don't have to do it for me."

"Max, it's not a matter of your capability to fight," he said, his eyes never leaving the path of the skeletons- a sign of a good fighter, "If it was, I'd be stepping back and letting you take over, because something tells me you could kick my ass if you wanted to. But monsters can only be killed by celestial bronze, of which, you are lacking, which leaves me the only one prepared to fight, and therefore, the only one who's _going_ to fight."

I huffed. "Remember what I told you about hand-to-hand combat?" I asked, snarky. "I'm better than you think I am. I'll fight, you kill."

The soldiers advanced on us, five-to-two. I don't like those odds. I mean, I can fight five erasers by myself easily, but erasers were partially human, these monsters weren't. They attacked and Percy defended himself well- and, sadly, I must add me. That is, until one of the soldiers knocked his sword out of his hand, leaving him defenseless. He backed up so we were standing shoulder to shoulder. I had no sword- and even if I did, I probably wouldn't know how to use it anyway. I searched desperately for something- anything- that could help us.

_Come on, Max. Think._ Then I felt a pull in my gut and water poured into the clearing.

_What the hell? _Then I remembered that Percy is Poseidon's son, he must be able to control the water. I turned to congratulate him, but he had a confused expression on his face as he watched the water pull the skeletons into the river.

"Percy? You didn't do that... did you?" My voice was cautious as if I was walking on a pond in winter that had a patina of ice covering it.

"No, I didn't." He turned towards me and realization and shock dawned upon his face as he looked to a spot just over my head.

"Uh, Percy, what are you-" I began to ask him what the _hell_ he was staring at but he cut me off, his voice awed, before I had a chance to finish the question.

"Max," he said, astonished. Alright, he was _really _freaking me out here. "Look up."

And so I did. And what I saw had my jaw dropping and my eyes widening to the size of plates, because above me there was a glowing, green hologram of a Trident.

"A trident," I said, shocked. "Poseidon's my father." I said it, I knew it was true, but it was _really_ hard to get a grasp on. Remember how I said that none of this entirely surprised me? Yeah, nix that statement, please. The one thing that didn't surprise me? "Percy... you're my brother?"

Percy grinned at that, still shocked, but obviously he hadn't realized that yet. "Yeah, Max. I guess I am. That explains things, doesn't it?"

I thought. It really did. It explained why I felt this urge to talk to him, to trust him. It explained why I was drawn to the dam in the first place.

As I looked at him, he must have thought of something not-so-happy because his smile fell a bit. Still there, but not as bright, more of a bittersweet tinge to it.

"Percy, what's wrong?" I asked, concerned. I did a mental double-take. I am never concerned over strangers. Having a brother was doing things to me and I hadn't even known about it for two minutes yet.

"Max... this is going to sound crazy, but don't tell anyone who your father is."

I took a step back, surprised. "And why not?" I asked, a little hurt.

"Because being a child of the Big Three is dangerous... More than it is being a normal half blood. Our smell is stronger, so we attract more monsters. Plus, we're kind of not supposed to exist."

I raised my eyebrows, wondering how the hell we weren't supposed to exist. "Alright, I can't let that last sentence go. Why aren't we supposed to exist?"

His face was serious and grim, like he had been through a lot just by being a child of Poseidon. "Seventy years ago, at the end of World War II, the Big Three swore on the River Styx to never have any more demigod children because they could cause extreme destruction if they fought against each other. Hitler? Yeah, he was a son of H- our uncle below ground."

Whoa. Yeah, talk about evil. "Okay, got the whole 'destruction' part."

"Yeah," he said. "Our uncle in the sky, however, broke that oath about eight years before we were born. His daughter, my friend Thalia, was nearly killed, so he turned her into a pine tree. Then our father has me- and you- and now we're in more danger than ever. Plus, Thalia's back into human/ demigod form, so there's three of us."

"But what's so dangerous about us? I mean, just because a previous generation caused a major war, why stop them from having any more demigods?"

"Because at the same time, a prophecy was made that said the next child of the Big Three who turned sixteen would make a choice that could either save or destroy Olympus. Nobody's made it to sixteen yet. Thalia was stalled in time for a while, but she turns sixteen in a few days. The gods don't want her to survive long enough to get that choice and the titans- the ones who want her to destroy Olympus- are trying to get her on their side. Thalia and I have been hunted down by gods, titans, and more monsters than anyone can count. I don't want that to happen to you, Max." He looked in my eyes and in his I saw concern, protection, friendship, and happiness.

"Alright, Percy. But I do have one question."

He nodded. "What's that?"

I grinned. "Which one of us was born first?"


	6. Claustrophobia and Rachel Elizabeth Dare

A/N: Another edit.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"_Asking is the beginning of __**receiving**__. Make sure you don't go to the ocean with a teaspoon. At least take a bucket so the kids won't laugh at you._

_-Jim Rohn_

**MPOV**

Percy and I ran back to the visitors' center so his friends wouldn't "kill" him. My head was reeling- _Percy is my brother. He's my _brother. I was freaking out. He was my _brother._ Just my half brother, but still. I felt closer to the Flock as siblings but knowing I shared blood with Percy- even a god's blood, with technically no DNA, we were still related and that meant something to me. It kind of made me realize that there was a possibility for a life outside of the Flock- not that I would ever want to leave them, but it was nice to know that I had a connection to the outside world, even if he wasn't exactly normal himself.

We sprinted back up to meet his friends and caught an elevator with a tour group in the museum. There were so many people in that small space. I could feel the walls pressing in on me, bringing back flashes of images of the cages at the school and I took in sharp, shallow gasps of breath. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe deeply but I couldn't gain control. I could tell Percy was anxious to meet up with his friends, but he noticed my reaction to the elevator and touched my arm.

"Max?" he asked cautiously. It was like he was afraid I'd explode if he talked loudly. Or firmly. Sad thing is? I probably would, the way my head was pounding.

"I'm alright," I said. "I just have some serious claustrophobia. I'll be okay." Total lie. I felt like I was back at the school with the whitecoats coming down on me while I sat there curled in my cage, defenseless as the bars held me back.

"Max, no you're not alright," he said, concerned. "You look... scared. Like you can't breathe." He shook my shoulder. "Max, listen, it's a short ride and you'll be out in a minute. I promise."

And that would have reassured me- well, partially, at leas, because, at this point, I was beyond reconciliation- but it was at that exact moment when the tour guide decided to speak. "We'll be going down seven hundred feet. Don't worry, ladies and gentlemen, the elevator hardly ever breaks."

I gasped in a breath, feeling my stomach flip and my head being put under pressure equal to being under about nine miles of water. "Oh, God."

Percy placed a hand on my shoulder that I instantly shook off. When I saw his hurt look, I regretted it, but when he'd touched me, I'd felt even more closed in than I already was.

"Is she alright?" Some random old guy asked.

"I'm fine," I snapped, glaring at the man, because that's what you do when a random stranger talks to you and you feel like you're about to get crushed by an incredibly small space crowded by an insane amount of people. Also known as Hell.

"Does this go to the snack bar?" Percy asked.

The tour guide turned to him. She was a park ranger with long black hair pulled back into a ponytail and she wore tinted glasses. "To the turbines, young man. Weren't you listening to my fascinating presentation upstairs?"

"Oh, uh, sure," Percy stuttered. "Is there another way out of the dam?"

"It's a dead end," a tourist behind us said. "For heaven's sake. The only way out is the other elevator."

Oh, Hell, no. Not another one. Percy looked at me and bit his lip, clearly understanding that there was no way I could do this again.

The elevator doors opened and I could breathe again. I took in several gasps and stumbled out. I leaned against the wall and sank down so I was cradling my knees to my chest, trying to breathe again.

"Go right ahead, folks. Another ranger is waiting for you at the end of the corridor."

"And young man." Percy turned around. "There is always a way out for those clever enough to find it."

Before we could do much of anything, a _ding_ came from around the corner and another elevator opened to reveal the clattering of skeleton soldiers. Percy and I ran after the tour group through a tunnel that had me panicking but I knew if I stopped, the skeletons would be right on top of me. The tunnel ended on a balcony that overlooked a warehouse area. Turbines were running below us. Yeah, that lady was wrong, there was no other way out unless I wanted to jump the turbines and get hacked up to make energy. Because it wasn't particularly on the top of my "Ways to Die" list, I decided that wasn't exactly the way to go. Another tour guides voice came over the intercom telling everyone about the interesting water supply methods in Nevada. Yeah, needless to say, if I hadn't been running for my life right now, I probably would have fallen asleep. Or, possibly, jumped into the murderous turbines just to get out of this misery. As it were, I _was_ running for my life, so I had no time to fall asleep or even contemplate possible suicide.

Percy and I started moving toward the hallway at the other side of the balcony. We hid in the little mini-hallway, watching the tunnel. I was just starting to think we were safe when I heard a _chhh!_ Like the voice of a skeleton. Percy swiveled around, sword in hand and sliced through...

A girl who just dropped her Kleenex in shock.

"Oh, my god!" she shouted. "Do you always kill people when they blow their nose?"

The first thing that went through my head was that the sword hadn't actually hurt her. Actually, the first thing that passed through my head was _what the hell?,_ but let's just keep that to ourselves.

Percy must have realized the same thing because he said, his voice full of shock. "You're mortal!"

She looked at him in disbelief, a _what-the-hell_ expression of her own written on her face. "What's _that_ supposed to mean? Of course I'm mortal! How did you get that sword past security?"

"I didn't-" He cut off. "Wait, you can see it's a sword?" Well, he was just getting all kinds of surprises today, huh?

The girl rolled her eyes, which were green, like Percy's. She had frizzy reddish-brown hair. Her nose was also red, like she had a cold, which you could have inferred by the sneeze that started this whole scene. She wore a big maroon Harvard sweatshirt- Harvard's a big-time college, right?- and jeans that were covered in marker stains and little holes.

"Well, it's either a sword or the biggest toothpick in the world," she said, sarcastically. I smirked, amused by the girl. "And why didn't it hurt me? I mean, not that I'm complaining. Who are you? And whoa, what is that you're wearing? Is that made of lion fur?"

It looked like a plain old brown coat to me, but then I remembered what Percy said about the Mist and I concentrated and saw a coat of black fur that did indeed look like it came from a lion. "Percy," I said firmly. "I swear, if that's real lion's fur, I'm going to _kill_ you." I'm not an eco-freak. Really, I'm not. But after spending my life in a cage being tested on, I built up a hatred for cruelty of any kind, especially animal cruelty.

Percy looked at me, shocked. "No... It's not really _lion's_ fur..."

I nodded in understanding. It was the fur of a monster, which left me wondering why the _Hell_ he kept it and, for the gods' sakes, _wore_ it.

"You're an animal rights activist?" The girl, whose name I have yet to learn, asked.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." I said. I'm not exactly an activist, but I'll fight if I see any animal- or human, really- getting hurt. It's a personal connection.

"Cool. That's good. Most people consider animals inferior creatures. I think that they're extremely underestimated. I mean, there are so many things they can do that we can't even imagine. Most of them are just... beautiful, you know?"

I grinned. "Yeah, I get it," I said. "I love watching birds fly. They're just so graceful…"

"Oh, I know," she said. "I really like faster ground animals, too, like jaguars, panthers, cheetahs, or _lions._" She said the last part, glaring at Percy.

I laughed when Percy groaned and put his head in his hands.

"Oh, by the way," the girl said, looking at me. "I'm sorry you have to put up with him."

I grinned. "I wouldn't know how bad it is, really. We just met today."

"So, you meet a guy who has a sword and almost kills an innocent citizen with said sword, and you become friends with him."

I shrugged. "I never said I made good decisions."

"Fair enough."

"Who _are_ you?" Percy asked in a tone that I consider very short, which, really, was kind of rude considering he almost killed her.

She huffed indignantly. "Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Now, are you going to answer my questions or should I scream for security?"

"No!" He said. "I mean, I'm kind of in a hurry. I'm in trouble."

"In hurry or in trouble?"

"Um, sort of both."

She looked over our shoulders and her eyes widened. "Bathroom!"

"What?"

"Bathroom! Behind me! Now!"

I honestly don't know why I listened to her. Later, I would look back and realize it was a cowardly and gross, considering the only bathroom behind her happened to be the men's. But I'm also pretty sure it saved my life.

I heard the clattering, hissing sounds of skeletons as they came closer. Percy uncapped Riptide and looked like he was about to go out and fight. After taking a second to think about it, maybe leaving the mortal out there alone with a bunch of skeletons wasn't a good idea. I was about to go out there- or at least pull her in- when Rachel Elizabeth Dare started talking in that rapid-fire machine gun way of hers.

"Oh, my god! Did you _see_ those kids? It's about time you got here. They had a sword, for god's sake. You security guys let sword-swinging lunatics inside a national landmark? I mean, jeez! He ran that way toward those turbine thingies. I think he went over the side or something. Maybe he fell."

The skeletons clattered excitedly and I heard them moving away.

Rachel opened the door. "All clear. But you'd better hurry."

She looked shaken. Her face was gray and sweaty.

"I owe you one, Rachel Elizabeth Dare," I said, walking over to her. "My name's Max." I noticed she was still pale. "Are you alright?"

"What are those things?" she asked. "The looked like-"

"Skeletons?"

She nodded uneasily.

"Do yourself a favor," Percy said. "Forget it. Forget you ever saw us."

"Forget you tried to kill me?

"Yeah. That, too."

"But who are you?"

"Percy-" he started to say. Then the skeletons turned around. "Gotta go!"

"What kind of name is Percy Gotta-go?"

As we bolted for the exit, I grinned. That girl was something else.


	7. Burritos and Mutiny!

"_Food Throwers: Begun usually by estranged couples, once this victual flinging starts, everyone will do it...Should your dinner party have become an out of control concussion match with opponents catapulting croutons and petits pois across the mahogany, don't fight it, go with it. And when you have the desire to quell the uprising approach the original perpetrator from behind. There, slowly crown her with the contents of the fresh fruit salad bowl. But be warned. Although this immobilizes and rivets everyone's attention it also gives them new ideas."_ J.P. Donleavy, 'The Unexpurgated Code' (1975)

The cafe was packed with kids enjoying the best part of the tour- lunch. Speaking of which, I was starving. I hadn't eaten since yesterday morning at home. I winced. Okay, no thinking of the Flock, or home, or _Fang_. Ugh, now I sound like Bella from _New Moon._ And, before you think I've gone all girly on you, just remember that Nudge and Angel are the two scariest little girls I've ever met. Granted, I haven't met many little girls, but if they're anything like those two, I consider myself lucky. Anyway, I was about to suggest to Percy that we get something to eat when he ran over to group of three people who were just now sitting down with their food.

"We need to leave," he said, gasping for breath. Was he really that weak? Well, to give him credit, we _had_ just been chased around the entire dam by skele-freaks. "Now!"

"But we just got our burritos!" A girl with spikey black hair said.

Another girl with long, straight black hair that was accessorized by a silver circlet said something in Greek, which I recognized as a curse. "He's right! Look!"

The cafe windows wrapped all around the observation floor, which gave us a beautiful panoramic view of the skeletal army that had come to kill us. I counted two on the east side of the dam road, blocking the way to Arizona. Three more to the west, guarding Nevada. All of them were armed with batons and pistols. Added to that, the three that had chased us in the turbine room now appeared on the stairs. They saw Percy and I from across the cafeteria and clattered their teeth.

"Elevator!" said the boy with goat legs. What was he called again? Oh, yeah, a satyr.

_Oh, gods, not again._ Percy glanced at me apologetically with a look that said, "_there's really no other option."_ Which was sad, but true, so we sprinted to the elevators. There was a _ding_ that was all to pleasant than the hell that awaited us beyond those doors. And no, I didn't mean the three skele-freaks that stepped out, but that's definitely something to consider too. This was a bittersweet moment. On one hand, I had just been saved from the torture that was an elevator. On the other, I'd just been tossed into a hell known as skeleton soldiers that may or may not be worse than the elevator.

We were surrounded.

But then Goat-Boy (as I've decided to call him considering that somewhere on the path of _running for our lives_, introductions had been forgotten) had a brilliant but totally crazy idea. In other words, I completely approved. He stopped and stood up straight and yelled, "Burrito fight!" then threw his Guacamole Grande at the nearest skeleton, earning my eternal respect.

Now, if you've never been hit by a flying burrito, consider yourself lucky. In terms of deadly projectiles, it's right up there with hand grenades and cannonballs. Goat-Boy's lunch hit the skeleton and knocked his skull clean off his shoulders. I clapped dramatically (you know, the type that starts slow then speeds up) and Percy joined in and shouted, "Way to go, Grover!" I'm not sure what the other kids in the cafe saw, but they went crazy and started throwing their burritos and baskets of chips and sodas at each other.

The skeletons tried to aim their guns, but it was hopeless. Bodies and food and drinks were flying everywhere. Ah, the power of food fights. Wait, _bodies?_ What the hell?

Percy and the spikey-haired girl tackled the skeletons on the stairs and sent them flying into the condiment stand. Taking this as a cue, we all sprinted downstairs, dodging flying burritos as they whizzed past us.

We burst through the doors and escaped the chaos.

"Who are you?" The spikey-haired girl asked me, confused but with an edge in her voice that hinted at annoyance. "Kelp Head, what the hell did you do?"

I snorted. "Kelp Head?"

"Shut up! And guys, this is Max. She's a demigod I found out by the river when... never mind. Max, this is Thalia," He said, pointing to the spikey-haired girl who had the nerve to call my brother Kelp Head. I liked her, but she still had that confused glare on her face. "This is Zoë." This time, he pointed to the girl with the circlet. She looked confused and curious, yes, but there was an irritation in her that, like Thalia's, seemed to be directed toward Percy and not me. "And Grover," he said pointing toward Goat-Boy who just smiled at me but didn't seem to be particularly interested, which was totally cool with me. I don't like attention.

"Uh-huh. And who is she?" Thalia asked. "I mean, no offense Max, but why are you here?"

"She's coming with us."

_Damn you, Percy. _I cursed him in my head. Didn't he know not to just say that randomly?

"She kind of can't. If she's a new demigod with no training, she should be sent to camp, not participating in a quest the first day she finds out she's a demigod." Thalia was persistent but she didn't seem rude or anything, just rational. But I don't do rational things. I act on my instincts, not a plan.

"Thalia..." He trailed off and grabbed her arm, pulling her by the bushes, away from the group, both of their heads turned away so we couldn't read their lips. Smart. But, despite their hushed tones that I knew were blocked from Grover and Zoë, I could hear them because of my enhanced senses.

"What the- Percy! Let me go!" She hissed.

He dropped her arm, but he spoke fiercely. "Thalia, I can't leave her here and I can't send her back to camp."

"And why not?" she challenged. Well, for starters, I wouldn't go. Oh, sure, I'd leave the "quest" if they wanted me to, but there was no way I was going to some camp on the other side of the country where I knew _nobody._

"Because... she's my sister. Or, at least, my half-sister." Wow, Percy. What happened to "Let's not tell anyone", huh? She must be his girlfriend or something but judging by the hostility displayed between the two, particularly Thalia towards Percy, they probably weren't.

"And when exactly were you planning on telling us?" her voice was hard. Yes, um that girlfriend thing? Scratch that.

"Um... honestly, never, but I just found out like, an hour ago. I wasn't going to tell you because I don't want her to be chased like they do to us. She doesn't deserve that, nobody does. I guess it's just the fact that for once in my life I'm not an only child and I'm not alone and I don't want to lose that." There was a pain in his voice that let me know that being alone as an outcast was not easy for him. Something about him though said that he was a pretty well-liked person. But with popularity came enemies. Plus, the doomsday prophecy he told me about which basically implies that people are going to use you- for good, evil, and all the gray areas.

Thalia sighed. "You know how much I hate saying this, but it's Zoë's decision, not mine. But, if it comes down to it... I guess I could understand why you want to protect her. Just... if she's _anything_ like you, I'm going to kill you both."

He chuckled -okay, seriously, _chuckled?_ Who _does_ that?- and said, "Actually, she kind of reminds me of you... just less violent."

I snickered. Percy didn't think I was violent. That's rich! He hasn't seen me pissed yet.

They walked back and Zoë, who, up until this point, hadn't expressed her opinion on me, spoke up. "Why did you feel the need to have thy discussion away from us?"

I cracked up. _Thy? Seriously? What the hell?_ "What exactly does thee find humorous in this situation?"

That didn't help at all. _Thee?_ What's next? Shakespeare? Oh, I can totally see that.

I snorted.

She glared. "I was born long before you, in the days of Ancient Greece, girl. Do not disrespect me."

My eyes widened in a not-so-innocent way. "Wait... you mean you _are_ ancient? And here I was thinking you'd just seen too many performances of _Hamlet._" Okay, yeah, I was being mean, but this girl who can't have been more than two years older than me was trying to control me. I don't like people who try to control me, no matter how old they are or what civilization they were born in.

She glared at me. "You are foolish, girl. Do not assume that I will let you come on this quest."

Thalia spoke up in my defense. "I say she comes."

"You are not the leader. You do not get to decide," She spoke, tersely.

It was Percy's turn to take a stand. "I think she should come too."

Zoë's glare hardened when it turned to Percy. "You insolent little _boy._" She called him a boy as if it was the worst thing anyone could be. Well, it looks like someone still believes in cooties. "You especially to not dictate this mission. I should not have let thee join us in the first place."

I raised my eyebrows. Okay, _ouch._ What the hell did he ever do to her?

"Well..." Grover started, a bit intimidated by Zoë, but speaking against her nonetheless, which I appreciated considering he had no reason to defend me. "We can't send her to camp, considering the circumstances. We wouldn't be able to escort her and she might not find it. " I wouldn't go, but who cares? "We can't leave her here. The skeleton soldiers already know who she is. She would be in danger alone." No, I really wouldn't, but I appreciate that he's on my side. "I think she should come."

"Fine," Zoë said bitterly. "She may come."

I smirked. Clearly, she had a problem with me. Well, that was fine. It was just going to make this thing all the more exciting.

**AN: Another edited chapter. 2/24/13**


	8. Guardian Angels

**A/N: For the record, I love you all and I'm really sorry I didn't update. I was kind stressed what with semester exams and starting new (and harder) classes. I mean, really, you think they'd balance my schedule but no, they had to put the super-easy classes in first semester and all the mega-hard classes together in second semester. Oh, well. Anyway, I was waiting for a bunch of people to update their stories for so long that I realized it's been over a month since _I _last updated and I was becoming what I hate the most: a hypocrite. Anyway, here's the new chapter!**

**Disclaimer: As always, I do not own _Maximum Ride, Percy Jackson and the Olympians _or the following quote. They belong respectively to James Patterson, Rick Riordan, and Janice T. Connell. A lot of the dialogue in this chapter- like most every chapter so far- belongs to Mr. Riordan as well.**

The wisdom The wisdom of the ages teaches that each individual, whether believer or not, good or bad, old or young, sick or well, rich or poor, has a personal Guardian Angel with him or her at every moment of life's journey. ~ Janice T. Connell, _Angel Power _

**MPOV**

"So what now?" Grover asked. Zoë was still ticked that I was tagging along but she couldn't do much. Isn't mutiny beautiful?

Unfortunately, none of us had an answer to his question. The warriors on the road were closing in from either direction. We ran across the street to the pavilion that appeared to hold bronze wing statues but that just put our backs to the mountain. The skeletons moved forward, forming a crescent around us. Their brethren from the café were running up to join them. One was still putting its head on its shoulders which was both laughable and disturbing. Another was covered in ketchup and mustard. Two more had burritos lodged in their rib cages and they didn't look happy about it. Ah, you've gotta love food fights...

Then the skele-freaks drew out their batons and advanced. I sighed. Whatever happened to good old hand-to-hand combat?

"Four against eleven," Zoë muttered. "And _they _cannot die."

"It's been nice adventuring with you guys," Grover said, his voice trembling. "Sorry I couldn't get to know you better, Max... You seem pretty cool."

Ugh, not the sappy goodbyes... I think I'm gonna puke. I gotta stop this.I opened my mouth to let out some words of encouragement and team spirit- you know, all that cheerleader rah, rah! Go Team! Shit- but then something caught my eye in the corner of my peripheral vision. It was shiny... what the hell?

It was coming from the two giant bronze statues with wings that had been weathered brown except for their toes which for some reason were bright copper and shone like brand new pennies. Apparently Percy noticed them just as I did because he said, "Whoa! Their toes are really bright."

I wanted to smack my forehead. Or punch him. Either way, I couldn't believe I was biologically related to this idiot. Thalia seemed to be irritated to because she snapped at him. "Percy! This isn't the time!"

But Percy continued to stare.

"Er... Percy? Thalia's right. Now really isn't the time so if you could just come back from la la land..." I trailed off because Percy seemed to have come up with some kind of idea. _Oh, gods. This outta be good. _

"Thalia," he said. "Pray to your dad."

She glared daggers at him that were so sharp that _I _was impressed. "He never answers," she spat, bitterly.

"Just this once," he pleaded. "Ask for help. I think... I think the statues can give us some luck.

This time I _did _smack my forehead. It's official: my brother is insane.

Six of the skeletons raised their guns. The other five moved forward with batons. Fifty feet away. Forty feet.

"Do it!" He yelled.

"No!" Thalia screamed at him. "He won't answer me."

Yikes, someone has daddy issues... wonder what that's about. Who did Percy say her father was again? Oh, yeah, Zeus. That must suck... having a dad that's the king of the gods.

"This time is different!'

"Who says?"

He hesitated. "Athena, I think."

We both stared at him like he was a lunatic... which, given the past few minutes, is probably true. "_What _about Athena?" I asked.

"The woman in the elevator... The tour guide. _There's always a way for those clever enough to find it._"

"Try it," Grover pleaded.

"Yeah, Thalia, as much as I think Percy's insane, it's not like we have any other options," I admitted.

Thalia closed her eyes. Her lips moved in a silent prayer. I put in a prayer of my own to my father. _Hey, Lord Poseidon... I don't know if you're there... or even if you care enough to listen... but I don't really have anyone else to pray to. I'm kind of confused... I'm not sure if you'd want to help me... not just with this situation, but maybe with being a demigod? I don't know what that means but... Thank you for letting me find Percy at the dam..._

I waited anxiously as Thalia finished her prayer.

And nothing happened. Wow... that was anticlimactic. The skeletons closed in. Everyone raised their weapons and I slid into my defensive crouch, ready to kick some ass, weaponless or not.

A shadow fell over me. For a second, I expected to turn and see Fang ready to back me up in the fight but I was dissappointed and angry with myself for hoping that when I turned to see, not Fang, nor any other member of the flock, but instead the angel statues, attacking the skele-freaks. Okay, I gotta admit, that was pretty cool. The statues stepped in front of up and completely wiped out the soldiers. They stuck their wings out, shielding us. Bullets pinged off of them like rain off a corrugated roof. Alright, that's kick ass. Both angels swooped outwards and the skeletons were slung across the road. I laughed out loud. These things were so cool!

"Man, it feels so good to stand up!" The first angel said. His voice was tinny and rusty, like he hadn't had a drink since he'd been built.

"Will you look at my toes?" the other said. "Holy Zeus, what were those tourists thinking?"

As awed as I was by the angels, I was more concerned with the skeletons. A few of them were getting up again, reassembling, bony hands reaching for their weapons.

"Trouble!" Percy yelled. Well, no duh, dipshit. I mean, who the hell could mistake _monsters _with _guns _as anything _but _trouble?

"Get us out of here!" Thalia yelled.

"Zeus's kid?" Both angels looked down on her.

"Yes!"

"Could I get a _please, _Miss Zeus's Kid?" an angel asked. Man, I really like these guys. They remind me of Iggy and Gazzy except about ten times the size and bulletproof.

"Please!" Thalia was about to snap. I could see it. Percy's right, she _is_ just like me.

The statues looked at each other and shrugged.

"Could use a stretch," one decided. And the next thing I knew, one had grabbed Thalia, Percy and while the other grabbed Grover and Zoë, and we flew strait up, over the dam and the river, the skeleton warriors shrinking to tiny specks below us- although they stayed in my sight longer than the others'- and the sound of gunfire echoing off the sides of the mountains.

**A/N: Alright, I didn't like this chapter. At all. Too short and not very much originality... Anyway! I have news: I am planning a sequel to this. It's gonna be set during the fourth book of Percy Jackson. Then I'll have a third in the trilogy set in the Last Olympian. It most likely won't be continuing into The Lost Hero simply for the fact that if I had my way, Max would go all super-girl and bring Percy back to Camp Half-Blood in the first book.**

**Anyway! What are your thoughts on ANGEL: A Maximum Ride Novel? Personally, I thought it was full of shit, but that's just me.**

**Thanks for reading. REVIEW!**

**AJL**


	9. There Go Our Guardian Angels

**A/N: HOLY CRAP! I'M SORRY! I know it's been well over a month and I'm really sorry but I've been REALLY busy. I had a bunch of tests and projects and then my mom left to go to Africa for three weeks and I was left as the woman of the house- I wore the same jeans at least seven times. Anyhow, my sincere apologies. I can't really say I'll be updating any time soon either because I've got a bunch of benchmarks coming up not to mention I have yet another biology project and I just don't have the time. Maybe I'll be able to update a bit over spring break...**

**Anyways, here's the chapter:**

**Disclaimer: As always, I do not own _Percy Jackson and the Olympians _or _Maximum Ride_ which, belong, respectively, to Rick Riordan and James Patterson. I also do not own the quote featured at the beginning of the chapter nor do I take full credit for this chapter as some of the action and plot does indeed belong to the aforementioned Mr. Riordan.**

_MPOV_

"Tell me when it's over," Thalia said. Her eyes were shut tight. The statue was holding us so we couldn't fall but still she gripped onto it's arm as if it was her lifeline. Interesting... was a daughter of Zeus, the god of the sky, afraid of heights? How could anyone fear the sky? It was natural to me. I'd grown up in it. Of course, if I fell, I'd just spread my wings and fly to safety. I suppose normal humans- or, in this case, demigods- have a reason to be terrified. But Thalia? If she fell, wouldn't her father just protect her? Oh, well, we all have our quirks.

"Everything's fine," Percy promised in that sincere voice of his that came when someone was reassuring a friend.

"Are... are we very high?" Her voice quivered. I looked down. What was her definition of high? Below us, a range of snowy mountains zipped by. I stretched out my foot and kicked snow off one of the peaks. It was pretty low- for me and the flock anyway. However, if you were afraid of heights...

"Nah," Percy said before I spoke up and said something stupid. "Not that high."

Then Zoë cut in. "We are in the Sierras! I have hunted here before. At this speed, we should be in San Francisco in a few hours."

"Hey, hey, Frisco!" The statue holding us said. "Yo, Chuck! We could visit those guys at the Mechanics Monument again! They know how to party!" Why was I just reminded of Iggy? Oh, yeah, cause that's exactly something he would say.

"Oh, man," the other angel said. "I am so there!" And there was the partner- in-crime. It reminded me of Gazzy. I miss those guys. I wonder how they were. I swear, if Fang wasn't taking care of them, I'm going to kill him when I get back.

"You guys have visited San Francisco?" Percy asked.

"We automatons gotta have some fun once in a while. Right?" our statue said. "Those mechanics took us over to the de Young Museum and introduced us to these marble lady statues, see. And-"

"Hank!" Chuck cut in. "They're kids, man."

Oh, gods. Images of statues going at it filled my head. Oh, sweet Poseidon. _Get out, get out!_

"Oh, right." If statues could blush, I swear Hank did because his bronze skin turned brown. "Back to flying." Yes, _please_, back to flying. I'm not about to get "the talk" from two bronze statues.

The angels sped up and I could tell they were excited about... _get out!_ The mountains turned in to hills and then we were flying above towns and roads.

Grover played his pipes to pass the time- _what kind of hobby is that? Is that Taylor Swift?- _and it began to annoy me. Zoë got bored and started shooting arrows at random billboards as we passed by. She nailed a picture of some slutty model in the eye. Hm... Maybe I could like this girl. That is, if she ever stopped trying to kill Percy and get rid of me.

Thalia kept her eyes closed the whole way. She muttered to herself a lot, like she was praying. Percy started talking to her. "You did good back there. Zeus listened."

It was hard to read her expression when she had her eyes closed. "Maybe," she said. "How did you and Max get away from the skeletons in the generator room, anyway? You said they cornered you."

"A girl helped us," I said, speaking up. "A mortal. Her name was Rachel."

"A _mortal?"_ Thalia asked, shocked. "And she could see you?"

I looked at her like she was insane. "It's not like I was wearing Harry Potter's cloak of invisibility. Of course she could see us."

"No- I mean... she could see you were running from monsters?"

And then Percy stepped in to settle the confusion. "Yeah, she could see through the Mist- it's the cloud that is over most mortal's eyes that prevents them from seeing things as they truly are. Even some demigods are victims of it."

Thalia nodded her head in confirmation. "Right. Some mortals, however, have truesight- it allows them to see things clearly."

I nodded my head in understanding. "So, when you tried to convince her your sword was a pen..."

"Her truesight allowed her to see through the mist," Thalia finished for me.

"Well, the girl was annoying," Percy said. "But I'm glad I didn't vaporize her. That would've been bad."

I scoffed. "She saved our lives, you ungrateful ass. What would we have done if she hadn't been there?"

He looked at me. "That's why I said it would have been _bad."_

I slapped my palm against my forehead. Slimy git. I was about to punch him but then Thalia sighed wistfully. "Must be nice."

"What's that, Thalia?" I asked, confused.

"To be a regular mortal... Don't you think?"

I sighed, regretfully. "Yeah."

"Where do you want me to land?" Hank asked us, waking Percy up. I watched in amusement as he shook his head to get rid of the remnants of sleep and wiped away the drool on his chin.

"Oh, um... " He looked down and all of a sudden, his focus sharpened. "Woah."

I followed his gaze and had to stop myself from repeating him. I'd been to California before, of course, and I'd seen movies set in San Francisco, but I'd never seen the actual thing. It was beautiful... Normal people going about their normal, safe lives... I felt like taking a picture and sending it to the Flock for a postcard. The writing on the back? _"Greetings from San Francisco. Haven't died yet. I swear, Fang, I'm gonna kick your ass when I get back. Wish you were here, Max." _With a little "P.S." at the bottom: "_P.S. Found out that my dad's a god... oh! And I have a brother. Love from, MR." _I snorted mentally. Yeah, that would go well.

"There," Zoë said. "The Embarcadero Building." The what now? Is that Spanish?"

"Good thinking," said Chuck. "Me and Hank can blend in with the pigeons."

I raised my eyebrow, looking at him like he'd lost his mind... if statues _had _minds... _Did _they have minds? Well, maybe it's just statues blessed by Zeus...

"What? Can't statues have a sense of humor?"

I looked at him seriously and he put on a hurt expression. "You know what? Forget it!"

Percy snorted. "Way to piss him off, Max."

"Shut up."

As it turned out, there wasn't much need to blend in. It was early morning and not many people were around. We freaked out a homeless guy on the ferry dock when we landed. He screamed when he saw Hank and Chuck and ran off yelling something about metal angels from Mars. I nearly died laughing at him.

"See you," Percy said, "and thanks."

"Yeah, guys. Have fun partying!" I gave them my best wishes.

"Thanks, kid!" Then they took off, no doubt to find those "lady friends" of theirs. I shivered.. Well, there go our guardian angels.

**A/N: So, this could easily be like, ten pages longer but I frankly don't have the time. However, I will update sooner and I'm sorry for the wait. Review, please!  
**

**AJ**


	10. Asking the Wrong Questions

**A/N: Hey, y'all. I've been gone from the story way too long and for that I apologize. I have reasons, but not that you necessarily need to know. All you care about is the story, so, without further ado, I bring you Flight of the Tides.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Maximum Ride. They belong respectively to Mr. Rick Riordan and Mr. James Patterson. I also do not own the following quote.**

"An expert knows all the answers - if you ask the right questions." Levi Strauss

PPOV

After we'd said our goodbyes, I realized I had no idea what to do next. We'd made it to the West Coast. Artemis and Annabeth were here somewhere, I hoped. But I had no idea how to find them. Tomorrow's the winter solstice, our deadline. I've got no idea what monster Artemis was hunting. It was supposed to find us on this quest. It was supposed to "show the trail" but it never had. Now, we were stuck on a dock with very little money, no friends, a long-lost sister, and no luck whatsoever. After a brief discussion, we agreed that we needed to figure out just what this mystery monster was. "But how?" I asked.

"Nereus," Grover said.

Max looked at him. "What?"

"Isn't that what Apollo told you to do?" Grover asked me. "Find Nereus?"

I nodded. I had completely forgotten my conversation with the sun god. "The old man of the sea," I remembered. "I'm supposed to find him and force him to tell us what he knows. But how do I find him?"

Zoe made a face. "Old Nereus, huh?"

"You know him?" Thalia asked.

"My mother was a sea goddess. Yes, I know him. Unfortunately, he is never hard to find. Just follow the smell."

"Did you say smell?" Max asked.

"I definitely heard smell," Thalia responded.

"What do you mean?" I directed my question towards Zoe.

"Come," she said without enthusiasm. "I will show thee."

I knew I was in trouble when we stopped at the Goodwill drop box. Max shrugged and went in with Zoe. She came out with a clean pair of jeans that weren't too old and a new sweatshirt. She did need one. Hers was covered in dark blotches of blood and ripped to shreds. Zoe had me outfitted in a ragged flannel shirt and jeans three sizes too big, bright red sneakers, and a floppy rainbow hat. Max took one look at me then started laughing hysterically. I growled, frustrated. I was beginning to understand why people were always complaining about their siblings.

"Oh yeah," she said between laughs, "Totally inconspicuous."

Zoe nodded with satisfaction. "A typical male vagrant."

Max snorted as she tried to regain her composure. "Yup. Typical."

_Stop_, I mouthed to her. "Why am I doing this again?" I asked Zoe.

"I told thee. To blend in."

Personally, I didn't think Zoe knew the definition of "blending in" but I wasn't about to contradict her. She led the way back to the waterfront. After a long time searching the docks, Zoe finally stopped in her tracks. She pointed down the pier where a bunch of homeless guys were huddled together in blankets, waiting for the soup kitchen to open for lunch.

"He will be down there somewhere," Zoe said. "He never travels far away from the water. He likes to sun himself during the day."

"I bet that's what causes the smell," Max whispered to Thalia not-so-quietly. I nudged her in the side, receiving a glare in return. "Ouch!"

"How do I know which one is him?" I asked, ignoring her, which was hard because the look she was giving me now made me glad the expression "if looks could kill" was just that- an expression. I didn't feel like dying any time soon. I've got a friend to save first.

"Sneak up. Act homeless. You will know him. He will smell... different." I didn't particularly like the idea of relying on my weak sense of smell- I was no monster, after all- to find this guy but Zoe wasn't offering any other suggestions, Grover was scared of her, I didn't think Thalia knew any more of this than I did, and even if Max had any advice, she was too busy shooting daggers that she couldn't have told me anyway.

"Great," I said, not really happy that my only lead was an awful smell. "And once I find him?"

"Grab him," she said. "And hold on. He will try anything to get rid of thee. Whatever he does, do not let go. Force him to tell thee about the monster."

"We've got your back," Thalia said. She picked something off the back of my shirt- a big clump of fuzz that came from who-knows-where. "Eww. On second thought, I don't want your back. But we'll be rooting for you."

Grover gave me a thumbs up and Max patted me on the shoulder. I grumbled about how nice it was to have such super-powerful friends. In response, I received a joking but firm punch on the arm from my newly-found sister. I walked towards the dock. I passed a couple of guys with grocery bags that grumbled at me to get away from their food. They smelled bad- like a sewer- but not distinctly so. Something told me that neither of them was Nereus. I continued like that for a while until I came to the pier where I saw a fat old man with a gray beard. He could have passed for Santa Clause if he didn't smell awful When I got close enough to smell him, that is. His smell was bad but it was _sea_ bad like rotten seaweed or the stench of a dead fish, not like warm cookies, Christmas trees and hot chocolate. I knew instantly that this was Nereus. I sat down casually next to him, warming myself in the fire. Santa opened his eyes to look at me for a second then closed them again, uninterested. I guess I was just another teenage runaway to him.

It was then, with his eyes closed, that I made my move. I tackled the old man off his chair and then we rolled in the sand. "Get off, kid!"his gruff voice shouted. "What do you want with me?"

"I'm a demigod! I just want answers!"

"Stupid demigods, why can't you leave me alone?"

"Because you know everything!"

Outraged onlookers shouted at me.

"Hey, kid!"s and "Get off him!"s and a few creative gang-member swear words were shouted as I fought the old man.

We were heading towards the waterfront and a plan formed in my head. "Oh, no! Not the water!" Nereus smirked evilly and plunged into the depths. In the ocean, I was stronger but he hadn't maxed out his trick bag either. As we touched the water, he morphed into a slippery wet seal. I've heard jokes about how hard it is to hold on to a greased pig but trust me holding on to a wet seal in the water is harder. If I hadn't been a son of Poseidon, I would never have been able to keep up with him. As it was, I was able to overpower him and he morphed back into an old man as I pinned him down. The others ran over to me.

"You caught him!" The surprised tone in Zoe's voice hurt, but I shrugged it off.

"Fine, demigod. You've managed to catch me. What now?" Nereus snarled. "What is your question. This is where I was torn. A large part of me wanted to ask about Annabeth, and I knew Zoe wanted me to ask about Artemis but Chiron had told me the monster was more important. Reluctantly, I made a decision.

"Where can I find the monster?"

Nereus grinned. "But that's an easy one. He's right there." He pointed to the water at my feet.

"What?" I asked, dumbfounded. "But-"

"The deal is complete!" And he snapped his fingers then _poof_ed away.

"What did he mean?" Thalia asked.

"MOOOOOOOOO!" I heard. I looked down to see my friend the cow serpent, that, last time I saw her, brought me to Max.

"Ah, Bessie," I sighed as Max snickered, "Not now."

"Mooo!"

Grover gasped. "He says his name isn't Bessie."

"You can understand her... er, him?" Max asked.

Grover nodded. "It's a satyr thing. We can understand most animals and read their emotions and everything. But he says his name is the Ophiotaurus."

Max turned to me and smirked. "See, Percy? _That_ is name for a cow serpent. Not _Bessie_ which is _way_ too normal._"_

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, Max."

"It means serpent bull in Greek," Thalia said, which made sense, I suppose. "But what's it doing here?"

"Mooooo!"

"He says Percy is his protector," Grover announced. "And he's running from the bad people. He says they are close."

I was wondering how you got all that out of a single _mooooo._

_ "_I am a fool!" Zoe spat. Max looked like she was about to comment but I sent her a look that said very clearly _shut up_. "I know this story."

"What story?"

"From the War of the Titans. My- my father told me this tale, thousands of years ago. This is the beast we are looking for."

"What?" I asked, looking down. "But- he's too cute. He couldn't destroy the world."

"That's where we were wrong. We were looking for a huge dangerous monster but there is also power in innocence."

"Evil power? In a cute little cow?" I asked.

"Sacrifice," Max stated plainly, her voice flat. Zoe nodded but Bessie _mmmm_-ed lowly.

"Uh, I don't think he likes the S-word," Grover said.

"Can't imagine many people do," Max said. "except sadistic psychopaths."

I rolled my eyes. "Do you ever take a situation seriously?"

She smirked. "What can I say? Sarcasm is my defense reflex, inside I'm really a sweet girl waiting to be discovered by Prince Charming and his magical kiss." Thalia grinned. Gods, they're like twins. Why did I ever introduce them?

"Unfortunately, you are correct. Eons ago, there was a prophecy made about this creature. It said that whoever killed the Ophiotaurus and sacrificed its entrails to the fire would have the power to destroy the gods."

"MMMMMM!'

"Um, maybe we could avoid talking about _entrails _too," Grover said.

Thalia's expression bothered me. She almost looked... hungry.

"We have to protect him," I told her. "If Luke gets hold of him-"

"Luke won't hesitate. The power to overthrow Olympus. That's... that's huge."

"Yes, it is, my dear," said a man's voice in a heavy French accent. "And it is a power you shall unleash."

The Ophiotaurus made a whimpering sound and submerged.

I looked up. We'd been so busy talking, we'd allowed ourselves to be ambushed.

"Ugh, who is this creep?" Max asked.

Standing behind us, his two-colored eyes gleaming wickedly, was Dr. Thorn, the manticore himself.

**Okay, so that's the end of this chapter. Sorry again but I really haven't had any time. On the other hand, last Tuesday I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Riordan himself at a book signing. I had so much fun. It was really cool to meet him. He was so nice! And I really enjoyed the guy dressed up as Nico. It totally made my life worth living. Anyone read _Son of Neptune _yet? I finished it Tuesday night. Please feel free to review with your thoughts. I enjoyed it a lot but the last page... -growls-. I really have to wait for a-whole-nother year? Please kill me. On the other hand, it's only until May that I have to wait for the third in the Kane Chronicles trilogy (oh, my god, why is my childhood all ending within the span of two years? I'm only fifteen, it's not good for Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Kane Chronicles, Artemis Fowl, _ and _ Maximum Ride to be ending all at the same time! Ugh.) Anyway, sorry again for the long wait, I'll try to make it shorter next time. Review please!**

**AJ**


	11. Of Power and Predictions

**A/N: ****I'm excited for this. But I can't wait for the story to be over. Not because it bores me, but because I**** really can't wait for the sequel. I just can't wait. This series is going to be a trilogy (at least) with one fic per book but I haven't decided if I'm going to continue to the **_**Heroes of Olympus**_** yet, probably not. There are going to be three fics followin****g **_**Titan's Curse, Battle of the Labyrinth, **_**and **_**The Last Olympian.**_** This fic is kind of the starter: its the beginning and doesn't really do anything except set the series in motion at the very end. Not a lot of it is changed. The **_**Battle of the Labyrinth**_** will**** be more original. I'm not going to be copying text anymore, because none of it is going to be from Percy's point of view. It's going to offer a look inside Nico's adventures while Percy and the other questers explore the Labyrinth. The **_**Last Olympian **_**fic w****ill be... well, it will be the war told from several different unexpected perspectives. I'm going to bring in some surprising characters...**

**I have a favor to ask you guys. I have two ongoing stories right now: this one, which is doing fantastic and my **_**The**__** Vampire Diaries **_**story, **_**Family Portrait,**_** which isn't. If any of you or your friends like **_**The Vampire Diaries**_**, tell them to check my story out, would you?**

**Can you believe it? I've been writing this story for over a year. Seems like so much shorter...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Percy Jackson**_** or **_**Maximum Ride**_**. All rights belong to Rick Riordan and James Patterson. The quote (which I apologize for forgetting last time) does not belong to me either.**

"_Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutel__y." -Lord Acton_

MPOV

"This is just _pairrr-fect,_" the-well, the _thing- _purred. I wasn't really sure what type of monster this thing was. I'd never seen one before. It looked like... a lion mixed with a scorpion, bull, and, like, Beowulf. He was wearing a ratty black trench coat over some uniform, which was torn and stained. His hair was spiky and greasy. His face was covered in silver stubble- _ew. _I hate facial hair. He looked homeless, but it didn't really affect me. I know what it's like to be cut off from resources.

"Long ago, the gods banished me to Persia," the Beowulf lookalike said.

"Oh, geez. Here comes the rant," I murmured under my breath.

"The rant?" Percy asked, keeping his voice as low as mine.

"You know, the rant. The time when every villain or antagonist reveals his reasons behind wanting to murder someone. It usually includes some insight into the past and his plan for the future." I smirked as I said it. "It happens in every story. You should know this. It generally causes the hero- or, in this case, heroes- to find a way to escape or defeat said villain."

Percy matched my smirk with one of his own. "Let's hope that's the case, then."

The monster hadn't heard us, which was probably a good thing, but I can never resist defying- well, anyone really. He continued as if we had never spoken. "I was forced to scrounge for food on the edges of the world, hiding in forests, devouring insignificant human farmers for my meals. I never got to fight any great heroes. I was not feared and admired in the old stories! But now that will change. The Titans shall honor me, and I shall feast on the flesh of half-bloods."

I interjected here, because I couldn't keep my mouth shut much longer. "It's no wonder the Greeks didn't appreciate you. You're just a cowardly lion waiting for the Wizard to give you courage."

The beast turned his glare on me. "Foolish girl! You will not speak in such a way in my presence. You know not who I am? Then I shall tell you. I am the manticore! I strike fear in the hearts of many!"

Telling me what to do _and _leaving an easy opening for mockery? This guy was just making my life fun. "Apparently not the Greeks. I will speak however I want "in your presence." Who do you think you are? Jesus?"

The armed guards by his side stepped forward, apparently seeing me as a threat. Smart boys. There were two other armed guards on the boat dock over. These guys were mortal... but what were they doing with a monster like the manticore? There were tourists everywhere- walking the waterfront, shopping at the pier above us- but I knew that wouldn't stop this guy from acting. It never did.

"Where-where are the skeletons?" Percy asked. _Really? _I wanted to ask him. _There's a freaking monster in front of us and you're asking him where hi__s backup is?_

He sneered. "I do not need those foolish undead! The General think I am worthless? He will change his mind when I defeat you myself!"

Defeat us? This guy has an ego problem. I won't be taken down buy an army of erasers, let alone a single manticore.

"We beat you once before," Percy said. I looked at him and instantly understood. He was stalling. We could easily dive into the sea with Bessie and escape, which would save the world, but we couldn't just leave Thalia, Zoë, or Grover behind at the mercy of the manticore. We needed a plan.

"Ha! You could barely fight me with a goddess on your side. And alas... that goddess is preoccupied at the moment. There will be no help for you now."

Zoë notched her bow and took aim at the manticore's head. " Zoë don't!" I screamed, just as the guards raised their guns. I knew better than anyone, never strike in a battle until it's time. Not to mention, I didn't think it was going to be a fair fight if they had guns. At least, not yet. I could easily defeat them, that was no problem, but I'd have to reveal my wings, and then I may get shot. Not exactly on my bucket list.

"The girl is right, Zoë Nightshade. Put away your bow. It would be a shame to kill you before you witnessed Thalia's great victory."

"What are you talking about?" Thalia growled. She had her shield- whoa, that's awesome- and spear ready.

"Surely it is clear," the manticore said. "This is your moment. This is why Lord Kronos brought you back to life. You will sacrifice the Ophiotaurus. You will bring its entrails to the sacred fire on the mountain. You will gain unlimited power. And for your sixteenth birthday, you will overthrow Olympus."

No one spoke. I, for one, was caught up on the whole "brought back to life" thing, but then I decided to let it go- we had bigger problems. From what Percy had said, Thalia was just a few days away from her sixteenth birthday- aka the day of the apocalypse. That's some major weight on her shoulders. Judging by the look on Thalia's face, she was considering the offer.

"You know it's the right choice," the manticore purred- or whatever the monster version of a purr is. "Your friend Luke recognized it-"at this, Percy, Thalia and Grover winced-"You shall be reunited with him. You shall rule this world together under the auspices of the Titans. Your father abandoned you, Thalia. He cares nothing for you. And now you should gain power over him. Crush the Olympians underfoot, as they deserve. Call the beast! It will come to you. Use your spear."

That was a low blow. I more than anyone can appreciate a pre-fight jab with your opponent, but bringing up her father? That was harsh. And the way he phrased that sentence... "You're friend Luke recognized it. You shall be reunited with him." Luke, who I'm guessing now is some form of traitor, must have been close to Thalia. Never bring up traitors. It's a cold tactic used to get under you're adversary's skin, and it works. Every time.

"Thalia!" Percy cried out. "Snap out of it!"

She looked at him dazed, as if she didn't recognize him or know where he was. "I... I don't-"

"You're father helped you!" Percy tried, desperately grasping at a fringe of connection to Thalia. "He sent the metal angels. He turned you into a tree to preserve you."

_What? Okay, coming back to life, turning into trees? I'm so getting this story later._

Her hand tightened on the shaft of her spear. Percy turned to Grover, shooting him a hopeless look. Grover understood it, even though I didn't. He got out a set of reed pipes and began to play a tune. I bit back a smart remark and let him play. The monster yelled, "Stop him!" Really? Stop him from playing music?

"Magic song," Percy murmured.

"Sure. Magical music, like in a Disney movie. Why not?" I said under my breath. Percy shot me a look but before he could do anything, Zoë shot two arrows at the guards and yellow, sulfurous gas exploded at their feet and they started coughing.

"Fart arrows!" Percy said, excitedly yet quietly. I'm fairly certain I was the only one who heard him. Oh, God- or, gods, I guess. He has the maturity of Iggy and Gazzy. "Grover!" He yelled. "Tell Bessie to dive deep and stay down."

"Moooo!" Grover translated. Hopefully, the Ophiotaurus got the message.

"The cow," Thalia said, still in a daze.

"Come on!" I grabbed her wrist and pulled her along as we raced up the stairs to the shopping center on the pier. We dashed around the corner of the nearest store. I heard tourists scream as the manticore yelled "Get them!" and the guards shot blindly into the air.

_Oh no, _I thought as we scrambled to the edge of the pier. _The humans._

"Go! Leave them!" Zoë shouted as if she'd read my mind.

Leave them? But they're innocent. "Celestial Bronze bullets. They can't hurt mortals," Percy explained as we ran. It made my breathing a bit easier knowing that we wouldn't be responsible for any harm to people. Say what you want about me, but I'm not evil. WE hid behind a little kiosk filled with souvenir crystals and- wind chimes and dream catchers and stuff like that, glittering in the sunlight. There was a water fountain next to us. Down below, a bunch of sea lions were sunning themselves on the rocks. The whole of San Francisco Bay spread out before us: the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and the green hills and fog beyond that to the North. A picture-perfect moment, except for the fact that we were about to die and the world was going to end.

"Go over the side!" Zoë shouted at Percy. "You can escape in the sea, Percy. Call on thy father for help. Maybe you can save the Ophiotaurus."

She was right, but Percy had gotten a noble look on his face.

"I won't leave you guys," he said with all the stubbornness of a riptide. "We fight together."

"You have to get word to camp!" Grover shouted. "At least let them know what's going on!"

"Get word to camp," Percy mumbled. "Good idea."

"Talking to yourself, Percy? Isn't that the first sign of insanity?" I smirked.

"You tell me. Did you ever talk to yourself?" he rebutted. I was impressed. Looks like my brother did have some of me in him after all. He uncapped his sword and slashed through the water fountain.

I raised an eyebrow. "Did the voices tell you to do that?" My comment was ignored as we all were splashed with icy water.

"Sea spawn! We are not all as immune to water as thee!"

"Damn it, Percy," Thalia sputtered, the fog leaving her eyes. "Are you crazy?"

Grover seemed to understand. He grabbed a coin from his pocket and tossed it into the mist made by the water. "Oh, goddess, accept my offering! Camp Half-Blood!"

The mist rippled and suddenly there was an image of a man in a leopard jogging suit rummaging through the refrigerator. He looked up lazily. "Do you mind?"

"Where's Chiron?" Percy demanded.

"How rude," the man said, taking a swig from a carton of grape juice. "Is that how you say hello?"

"Hello," he amended. "We're about to die! Where's Chiron?"

The man considered that. Percy looked like he was going to explode. Behind us, we heard footsteps and shouting- the monster and his cronies were closing in. "About to die," he mused. "How exciting. I'm afraid Chiron isn't here. Would you like me to take a message?"

Percy turned toward us. "We're dead."

Thalia gripped her spear. "Then we'll die fighting."

"How noble," the guy said, stiffing a yawn. "What exactly is the problem?"

Percy told him about the Ophiotaurus, but I didn't see how it would make a difference. This guy was a grade-A asshole.

"Mmm." He studied the contents of the fridge. "So that's it. I see."

"You don't even care! You'd just as soon watch us die!"

I've got some news for you, Percy, most people in the world are like that. My point was proved by leopard man's next comment.

"Let's see. I'm in the mood for pizza tonight."

The manticore screamed, "There!" and we were surrounded. There were guards everywhere. Lion-dude threw off his coat and assumed his monster form. "Excellent." He glanced at the apparition in the mist. "Alone without any _real_ help. Wonderful."

"You could _ask_ for help," the man in the mist suggested as if the thought were amusing to him. I snorted. No way in hell would I ever die asking for help, especially from someone like him.

Zoë readied her arrows. Grover lifted his pipes. Thalia raised her shield, and I noticed a tear running down her cheek. Percy noticed as well and something in him was set into motion. "Please, Mr. D," He muttered. "Help."

Of course, nothing happened.

The manticore grinned. "Spare the daughter of Zeus, she will join us soon. Kill the others."

The men raised their guns, and something strange happened. You know how you feel when all the blood rushes to your head, like if you hang upside down then turn right-side-up too quickly? There was a rush like that all around me and then a sound like a huge sigh. The sunlight tinged with purple. I smelled grapes and something more sour- wine.

There was a snap, not a sound, but a feeling, and the guards seemed to lose their minds. One put his pistol between his teeth like it was a bone and ran around on all fours. Others dropped their guns and started waltzing together. The fourth began doing what looked like an Irish clogging dance. I swallowed a smile.

"No!" screamed the manticore. "I will deal with you myself!"

His tail bristled, but the planks underneath his paws erupted into grape vines, which immediately began wrapping around the monster's body, sprouting new leaves and clusters of green baby grapes that ripened in seconds as the manticore shrieked until he was engulfed in a huge mass of vines, leaves and full clusters of purple grapes. Finally, the grapes stopped shivering, and I had a feeling that somewhere inside there, the manticore was no more.

"Well," the apparition said, closing the fridge. "That was fun."

"Mr. D," I said, a connection forming in my mind. "Dionysus?"

The god nodded at me once. Percy stared at him horrified. "How could you... how did you-"

I smacked him upside the head. Didn't he know to take gifts as they come?

"Such gratitude," he muttered. "The mortals will come out of it. Too much explaining to do if I made their condition permanent. I hate writing reports to Father."

He stared resentfully at Thalia. "I hope you learned your lesson, girl. It isn't easy to resist power, is it?"

Thalia blushed as if she were ashamed.

"Mr. D," Grover said in amazement. "You... you saved us." For the love of the gods, what is wrong with these people?

"Mmm. Don't make me regret it, satyr." He turned his gaze on me. "Your secret will cause you pain, girl. It will bring you to the brink of insanity and isolate you. Be careful what you promise." He said something after that but I was winded. He knew my secret, somehow. What did he mean it would cause me pain? Be careful what I promise? What does that mean?

"The Ophiotaurus," Percy said. "Can you get it back to camp?"

Mr. D sniffed. "I do not transport livestock. That's your problem."

"But where do we go?"

Dionysus looked at Zoë. "Oh, I think the huntress knows. You must enter at sunset today, you know, or all is lost. Now, good-bye. My pizza is waiting."

"Mr. D," Percy said. The god raised his eyebrow. "You called me by my right name. You called me Percy Jackson."

I shot a look at Percy. _Really? Now?_

"I most certainly did not, Peter Johnson. Now off with you!"

The image disappeared.

All around us, the manticore's minions were still acting completely nuts. One of the guards had found our friend the homeless guy and they were having a serious conversation about metal angels from mars. Several other guards were harassing the tourists, making animal noises and trying to steal their shoes.

I looked at Zoë. "What did he mean... 'You know where to go'?"

Her face got the color of the fog. She pointed across the bay, past the Golden Gate. In the distance, a single mountain rose up above the cloud layer.

"The garden of my sisters," she said. "I must go home."

**That was long. Seven pages long. It's getting tiring, just typing out Riordan's story but adding Max's snark and opinions. It will get better later on when Max is dealing with her own problems. How do you like Mr. D's little bomb there? Okay, so several of you have asked when Max is going to be revealing her wings. This troubles me. I realize that in every fanfiction, Max reveals her wings very early in the story. I'm trying to be unique. Max may not reveal her wings in this story, or ever. Or, even if she does, who's to say that everyone in the story will get the privilege of knowing? I haven't yet decided. I have ideas of course, and forms of plot lines. Here's one thing I can guarantee: by the end of this story, at least one person will know about Max's wings. I'm not telling you who, when, or how. That's for me to know and you to find out. **

** So, I've got a request. I've gotten so many hits on this story and I'm blessed to have so many readers and subscribers, but my other story, **_**Family Portrait**_** doesn't have as many. If you guys could check it out, that would be awesome. It's a Vampire Diaries fic, so if you like the series, check it out. If you've never heard of the show or seen it, PM me or send me a review and I'll tell you what you need to know.**

** Thanks for everything on this Thanksgiving weekend here in the US!  
**

** Review please!**

** AJ**


	12. Of Danger and Understanding

Got it, guys! And sorry. Like I said, it was about seventeen pages, but now it's only six. I'll try to get another chapter up… Friday? Also, guys don't forget two things! Check out my other stories, _Escaping Miami _and _Family Portrait_, please! Also: REVIEW!

Disclaimer: As always, I don't own Maximum Ride or Percy Jackson and the Olympians, those rights belong to James Patterson and Rick Riordan respectively.

MPOV

"We'll never make it," Zoe said. "We're moving too slow. But we can't leave the Ophiotaurus."

The cow in question mooed next to us as we ran toward the Golden Gate Bridge. Flying, it would take me about three minutes. Running at flock pace would take about ten minutes. But slowing down to keep time with these demigods was taking forever. Don't get me wrong, they're faster than most humans but not by much.

"I don't get it," Percy panted as we ran. "Why do we have to make it to the garden by sundown?"

"The Hesperides are nymphs of the sunset," Zoe responded. "We can only enter their garden as day changes to night."

"That's a stupid rule," I mumbled. Percy nudged me, but I knew he was thinking the same thing. I raised my voice. "What happens if we miss it?"

"Tomorrow is the winter solstice. If we miss sunset tonight we have to wait until tomorrow and by that time the winter counsel will be over. We must free Lady Artemis tonight."

Percy got a look on his face that seemed desperate, sad, and determined all at once. Oh, yes. Annabeth. The reason he's on the quest. I can't imagine he wants to prolong saving her.

"We need a car," Thalia spoke up. She'd been quiet since the last meeting with the manticore where she'd been possessed or something.

"What about Bessie?" I rolled my eyes. _Percy…_

Grover stopped in his tracks. "I've got an idea! The Ophiotaurus can appear in different bodies of water, correct?"

"Well, yeah," Percy confirmed. "I mean he was in Long Island Sound. Then he just popped into the water at Hoover Dam and now he's here."

"So maybe we can coax him back to camp then Chiron can help us get him to Olympus."

"Mooo."

"I- I can show him," Grover said. "I'll go with him."

Percy stared at him as if he was insane. To be fair, he probably was. In nature, goats tended not to be water creatures for a reason. I don't think satyrs are that different.

"I'm the only one that can talk to him," Grover continued. "It makes sense." He bent down and whispered something in Bessie's ear. Bessie shivered then made a contented, lowing sound. "The blessing of the Wild. That should provide protection. Percy, pray to your dad, too, for safe passage through the sea."

Though it was directed at Percy, I too shot a quick prayer to my father. I didn't understand how they could swim from San Francisco Bay to Long Island, but I didn't understand half of what I learned today.

"A prayer like that needs sacrifice," Thalia said. "Something big."

Percy thought for a moment, then began to shed his coat.

"Percy, are you sure?" Grover interceded. "That lion skin… that's really helpful. Hercules used it!"

Percy paused and then shared a meaningful look with Zoe that I couldn't decipher. "If I'm going to survive," he said, keeping his eyes on her as if reaching a realization, "it won't be because I've got a lion-skin cloak. I'm not Hercules."

That seemed to mean something more to Percy and Zoe than it did the rest of us. I didn't ask questions. He threw the coat into the bay. It turned back into golden lion skin, flashing in the light. Then, as it began to sink beneath the waves, it seemed to dissolve into the sunlight on the water. The sea breeze picked up.

"Be careful," I told Grover, speaking up.

"Thanks," he said, taking a deep breath. "Well, no time to lose."

He jumped in the water and immediately began to sink. Bessie glided next to him and let Grover take hold of his neck.

"Okay, um… Bessie? We're going to Long Island. It's east. Over that way."

I raised an eyebrow. My confidence in Grover's directional abilities weren't exactly strong right now.

"Mooo?"

"Yes. Long Island. It's this island. And… it's long. Oh, just start."

And, confidence gone.

"Mooo!"

Bessie lurched forward and they started to submerge. Grover said, "I can't breathe underwater! Just thought I'd mention-" _Glub!_

As I watched them go under, I couldn't help but hope my father's blessing extended to little things such as breathing.

"Well, that's one problem addressed," Zoe said. But how can we get to my sisters' garden?"

"Thalia's right," Percy said. "We need a car. But there's no one to help us here. Unless we, uh, borrow one."

"No sugarcoating. I _hate_ sugarcoating. Say _steal,_" I said firmly. "That's what it is."

"Wait," Thalia said, shifting through her backpack. "There is someone here who can help us. I've got the address somewhere."

"Who?" I asked warily. I don't really trust people in general and I didn't want to get looped into some "you owe me" deal with a random person just for a ride.

Thalia pulled out a crumbled piece of notebook paper and held it up. "Professor Chase. Annabeth's dad."

I don't know what I was expecting when we went to meet Annabeth's dad. I'd never met the girl herself so I knew nothing about her or her upbringing but I was expecting some type of business man, maybe someone uptight and stiff. What I was not expecting was a middle-aged man wearing an old-fashioned aviator's cap and goggles. He looked so weird with his eyes bugging out of the glasses that we all took a step back on the porch.

"Hello," he said in a friendly voice that startled Percy and Thalia. Were they expecting Hitler? "Are you delivering my airplanes?"

We looked at each other warily. "Um, no, sir," Percy said.

"Drat," he said. "I need three more Sopwith Camels."

I raised an eyebrow. Did this guy collect planes? I opened my mouth to comment but Percy elbowed me in the ribs. It didn't hurt but I got the message.

"Right," Percy said though I know he had no idea what Professor Chase was talking about. "We're friends of Annabeth."

"Annabeth?" the man asked as if he'd just received an electric shock. "Has something happened to her? Is she alright?"

None of us answered, but our faces must have shown that something was very wrong. He took off his cap and goggles. He had sandy-colored hair and intense brown eyes. It looked like he hadn't shaved in a few days and his shirt was buttoned wrong so one side of his collar was higher than the other.

"You'd better come in."

There were LEGO robots on the stairs and two cats sleeping on the sofa in the living room. The coffee table was stacked with magazines, and a little kid's winter coat was spread on the floor. The whole house smelled like fresh-baked chocolate-chip cookies. There was jazz music coming from the kitchen. It seemed like a messy, happy kind of home- the kind of home I'd been deprived of as a child.

"Dad!" a little boy screamed. "He's taking apart my robots!"

"Bobby," Dr. Chase called absently. "Don't take apart your brother's robots."

"_I'm _Bobby!" the little boy protested. "He's Matthew!"

"Matthew," Dr. Chase called. "Don't take apart your brother's robots!"

"Okay, dad!"

Dr. Chase turned to us. "We'll go upstairs to my study. This way."

"Honey?" A woman called. A woman I'm assuming was Annabeth's mom- or stepmom, since her real mother was a goddess- appeared in the living room, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. She was a pretty Asian woman with red highlighted hair tied in a bun. "Who are our guests?"

"Oh," Dr. Chase said. "This is…"

He stared at us blankly.

"Frederick," she chided. "You forgot to ask their names?"

We introduced ourselves hesitantly. She asked if we were hungry and we admitted we were so she said she'd bring us sandwiches, cookies, and sodas. She seemed pretty nice. You know, for a human.

"Dear," Dr. Chase said. "They're here about Annabeth."

For some reason, Percy and Thalia winced as if they expected her to turn into Ursula. _Little Mermaid _references aside, Mrs. Chase seemed nice enough. I don't know why they were freaked out, but then again, for all I know, they could secretly be evil, so I didn't ask.

Mrs. Chase pursed her lips and looked concerned. "Alright. Go on up to the study and I'll bring you some food." She smiled at Percy. "Nice meeting you, Percy. I've heard a lot about you."

He blushed.

When we walked into Dr. Chase's study, Percy let out a loud "Whoa!" I rolled my eyes. _Way to impress your girlfriend's father, Percy._ Because, really, you could tell he liked her. The way he talked about her was so sweet.

And sickening.

What? I'm not gonna get all sappy.

Anyway, the room was literally walls of books. There was a huge table in the center with miniature tanks and soldiers fighting along a blue painted river with hills and fake trees. Old-fashioned biplanes hung on strings from the ceiling, tilted at crazy angles, like they were in the middle of a dogfight.

"Yes," he said. "The third battle of Ypres. I'm doing a paper, you see, on the use of Sopwith Camels to strafe enemy lines. I believe they played a much greater role than they've been given credit for."

That flew right over my head. I didn't know much history. Jeb's teaching included things like "Survival 101", "Hand-to-hang combat", and "Flight Style" not "World History" or "The Use of Airplanes". Whatever I knew about the world came from movies or TV. For all I know, vampires could be real, sparkling creatures. Or there could be another planet out there called Pandora where blue creatures work in peace with the Mother Tree. The most I know about history comes from "Schindler's List", "Hercules", and "Pearl Harbor".

Zoe walked over and studied the battlefield. "The German lines were farther from the river."

"How do you know that?"

"I was there," she said, matter-of-factly. "Artemis wanted to show us how horrible war was, the way mortal men fight with each other. And how foolish, too. The battle was a complete waste."

Dr. Chase opened his mouth in shock. "You-"

I sighed. "Way to go, Zoe. You don't just tell someone you're immortal like that. Or else," I gestured to the man. "Something like this happens." I turned to him. "She's a Huntress, sir, blessed by the goddess Artemis. But that's not why we're here. We need-"

"You saw the Sopwith Camels?"" Dr. Chase said. "How many were there? What formations did they fly?"

"Sir," Thalia broke in. "Annabeth is in danger."

That got his attention. He set the airplane down.

"Of course," he said. "Tell me everything."

It was the first time I'd heard the full story as well. I have to say, I was interested. Falling off a cliff but still surviving? That's pretty impressive. When they talked about Bianca- the girl who'd died on the quest before I did- my heart went out to her little brother. No one should have to lose all of their family. When they were finished, the sun was lowing on the horizon. We were running out of time.

Dr. Chase collapsed into his leather recliner. "My poor, brave Annabeth. We must hurry."

"Sir, we need transportation to Mount Tamalpais, and we need it immediately," Thalia said.

"I'll drive you. Hmm, I would be faster to fly in my Camel, but it only seats two."

"Whoa, you have an actual biplane?"

Percy says "whoa" a lot, I noticed.

"Down at Crissy Field," Dr. Chase said proudly. "That's the reason I had to move here. My sponsor is a private collector with some of the finest World War I relics I the worlds. He let me restore the Sopwith Camel-"

"Sir," Thalia said. "Just a car would be great, really. And it might me better if we went without you. It's too dangerous."

I rolled my eyes. Thalia should know better than to just _tell_ someone that their daughter is in danger and they aren't allowed to go get them.

Dr. Chase frowned. "Now wait a minute, young lady. Annabeth is my daughter. Dangerous or not, I- I can't just…"

"Sir," I said, softly. "I know you want to help, but trust me when I say that you don't want to get involved in a battle. Not only could you get killed, but if we have to be worried about you, we're not going to be able to focus on rescuing Annabeth."

Percy looked at my like he didn't know what I was talking about, which made sense because, to them, I was a newbie: an untrained demigod along for the ride. None of them knew my past or my secrets so when I talked about battle like I had experience. It surprised them. Dr. Chase seemed to think about what I said. Mrs. Chase walked through the door again

"Snacks," she announced, waling through the door. She was carrying a tray full of peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches and Cokes and cookies fresh from the oven that made my mouth water. I hadn't eaten in _days_. Thalia, Percy and I inhaled some food. "I can drive, sir," Zoe said. "I'm not as young as I look. I promise not to destroy your car."

Mrs. Chase knit her eyebrows. "What's this about?"

"Annabeth is in danger," Dr. Chase said. "On Mount Tam. I would drive them, but… apparently it's no place for mortals."

It sounded like it was really hard for him to get that last part out. I waited for Mrs. Chase to say no. I mean, what kind of mother would let four underage teenagers drive their car into a battlefield? To my surprise, she nodded. "Then they'd better get going."

"Right," Dr. Chase said, standing up. "My keys..." he began patting his pockets.

His wife sighed. "Frederick, honestly. You'd lose your own head if it weren't wrapped inside your aviator hat. They're hanging on the peg by the front door."

"Right!"

Zoe grabbed a sandwich. "Thank you both. We should go. Now."

We hustled out the door and down the stairs. Mrs. Chase held Percy back for a moment while the rest of us headed towards the car, but with my advanced hearing, I could understand every word. "Tell Annabeth… tell Annabeth that she still has a home here, will you? Remind her of that."

Percy stopped for a moment and then said, quietly. "I'll tell her."

We ran out to the garage and hopped in the yellow convertible. The sun was going down. I figured we had less than an hour left.


	13. Broken Families

**A/N: Oh, my god. I'm the worst person ever. I swear, I have reasons but I really don't want to go into them because many are personal. But, I'm back now. My goal is to finish this story by the end of summer so I can move on to the sequel and also the new original story I've been thinking about that I'm **_**extremely **_**excited for. I'd like to thank the anonymous reviewer who basically reminded me that I haven't been updating and to get my ass back to work. So, without further ado, I present to you chapter 15.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Seriously, I don't.**

**AJ**

"_Rather we are here because the Belgrade authorities have taken the non-Serbs of Bosnia on a path to hell, a path littered with dead bodies, broken families and lost futures." - Sakib Softic_

After twenty minutes of driving and listening to Thalia and Zoë argue like old women, we finally reached our destination: the Mountain of Despair (which, seriously, is about as bad as Death Valley and a perfect location for evil headquarters.) The mountain looked like one from some sort of horror movie. There were dark clouds spiraling into its peak like it was sucking them towards it. The rock even came with its own personal war story.

All of a sudden, Percy shouted, pointing out the back window. "Look!" He was indicating down towards the valley.

"What?" I asked.

"There was a big, white ship docked near the beach! It looked like a cruise ship!" He exclaimed.

Thalia's eyes went wide. "Luke's ship?"

Percy looked grim as if it was the last thing he wanted, but confirmed her assumption. I didn't know who Luke was, but he must've been bad news.

"We will have company, then," Zoë said gravely. "Kronos's army."

I was about to ask about this army, but then the hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

"Stop the car!" Thalia screamed. Zoë must have sensed something was wrong because she slammed on the breaks immediately, sending the car spinning twice before stopping just at the railing. "Out!"

Now, I don't know about you, but growing up as I did, you come to react immediately to commands like that and it's a good thing I did. One second, I'm rolling out of the car on the ground towards the side of the road and the next there's a loud _BOOM!_

Lightning flashed and Dr. Chase's car exploded like a bomb in World War II. I saw another bolt of lightning strike near Percy but Thalia pulled him underneath her shield and out of the line of danger. He turned to her and they mumbled under their breaths for a minute. I decided to walk over to Zoë and assess the damaged. Percy and Thalia were obviously fine. I had a few scrapes and blood was running down my face from a head wound, but I was fine.

I held out my hand to Zoë, who was laying on the ground just around the corner. She gave me a dubious look but accepted my help anyway. "Are you okay, Zoë?"

"I am quite alright but thy head is bleeding," she said.

I shrugged. "Nothing new. I'm fine and it doesn't really hurt, so it's okay."

"Max! Zoë!" I heard Percy yelling. I hissed at his ignorance. We were on enemy soil, he was going to get us killed.

"Silence, fool!" the girl next to me spat. "Do you want to wake Ladon?"

"You mean we're here?" he asked.

"Very close."

Sheets of fog were billowing tight along the road. Zoë turned and disappeared into the Mist. "Follow Zoë. We're going with her. Keep that in mind and _go,_" Thalia commanded. I did as she said immediately, barely keeping the form of the Huntress in sight, despite my vision.

When we came out the other side of the fog, we were still on the mountain, but the road was dirt, the grass was thicker. I looked out across the skyline and saw the pink stain of sunset in the clouds. We didn't have much time. I turned around and didn't see Percy or Thalia but heard their voices, so I figured they must be close by. I turned and walked through the only path possible.

You know, had it not been for the enormous dragon, the garden probably would have been the most beautiful I'd ever seen. As is, there was indeed a very big dragon right in the center of the garden, guarding a tree of golden apples.

Of course, I have nothing against dragons. They're very cool and threatening and I've watched Eragon with Gazzy enough to appreciate their power. That didn't mean that I wanted to fight one.

"The apples of immortality," Thalia said in awe. "Hera's wedding gift to Zeus."

"She gave an immortal god apples that give you immortality?" I asked, skeptically.

"What else do you give to the king of the gods?"

"Well, I guess he wouldn't be the easiest to shop for, even on Black Friday," I joked.

The shadows in the garden began to move. There was a beautiful, eerie singing, like voices from the bottom of a well. I reached for the bow Zoë had lent me but then let my hand fall as Zoë stopped us. Four young women resembling Zoë shimmered into existence.

"Sisters," our leader said.

"We do not see any sister," one of the girls said coldly. "We see three half-bloods and a Hunter, all of whom shall die."

"You've got it wrong," Percy said, stepping forward. "No one is going to die." I bristled. He seriously expected no one to get hurt?

The girls studied him. "Percy Jackson," one said.

"Yes," mused another. "I do not see why he is a threat."

"Who said I was a threat?"

"They fear thee. They are unhappy that _this _one has not yet killed thee." She pointed at Thalia.

I didn't see any reason why she would kill him. I mean, they were friends, weren't they?

"Tempting sometimes," Thalia admitted,"But no, thanks, he's my friend."

"There are no friends here, daughter of Zeus," the girl said. "Only enemies. Go back."

"Not without Annabeth."

"And Artemis. We must approach the mountain."

"You know he will kill thee. You are no match for him."

"Artemis must be freed," Zoë insisted. "Let us pass.

The girl shook her head. "You have no rights here anymore. We only have to raise our voices and Ladon will wake."

"He will not hurt me," Zoë denied. I raised my eyebrows. She better be damn sure about that before she does anything stupid.

"No? And what of thy so-called friends?"

Then Zoë did exactly what I had expected and admired her for. "Ladon! Wake!"

The dragon stirred, glittering like a mountain of pennies. The Hesperides yelped and scattered. The leader girl was appalled. "Are you mad?"

"You never had any courage, sister. That is thy problem," Zoë said.

Ladon was writhing now, a hundred heads whipping around, tongues flickering and tasting the air. Zoë took a step forward, arms raised.

"Zoë, don't!" Thalia warned. "You're not a Hesperide anymore! He'll kill you!"

"Ladon is trained to protect the tree. Skirt around the edges of the garden then go up the mountain. As long as I am a bigger threat, he should ignore thee."

"_Should_ is not very reassuring when you're dealing with _murderous dragons_," I said.

"It is the only way. Even the four of us together can not fight him." I doubted that, considering my genes, but I didn't want to have to prove it. I looked at Zoë and thought about how she'd been fighting for thousands of years. I knew, even if she couldn't defeat the dragon, she could most likely get away if she needed.

Thalia and Percy split up, each choosing an edge of the garden to sneak through. I hesitated one more time, glancing at Zoë who nodded at me. I returned the gesture then followed my brother up the mountain. Zoë walked straight towards the dragon.

"It's me, my little dragon," Zoë said. "Zoë has come back."

"Fool," the eldest Hesperide whispered.

"I used to feed thee by hand," Zoë said soothingly. "Do you still like lamb's meet."

The dragon's eyes glinted.

Thalia, Percy and I were about halfway up the mountain when I felt the mood of the dragon change. Maybe Zoë got too close or maybe the dragon realized he was hungry. Whatever the reason, he lunged at Zoë.

Two thousand years of training kept her alive. She dodged one set of slashing fnags and tumbled under another, weaving through the dragon's heads as she ran in our direction, gagging from the monster's horrible breath.

Percy drew out his sword. "No!" she ordered. "Run!"

The dragon snapped at her side and she cried out. Thalia pulled out her sword and the dragon hissed. I pulled out my bow and began shooting, hitting the dragon in one of his eyes, which seemed impossible since my weapons training was inexistent.

In the dragon's moment of confusion, Zoë was able to sprint past him towards us and we all ran up the mountain. It was getting darker.

The dragon didn't try to pursue. I guess he was trained just to guard the tree. He wasn't going to be lured off, even with the temptation of a nice meal of demigods.

We ran up, past the Hesperides, whose music now seemed like a funeral march.

At the top of the mountain were old ruins, presumably left over from the old Titan war thousands of years ago.

"The ruins of Mount Othrys," Thalia said in awe.

"Yes, I know, it's magnificent, old, and amazing. Need I remind you that we have a deadline?" I said impatiently.

"No, you don't understand. This shouldn't be here," she said.

"She is right. This is bad," Zoë said.

"What's Mount Othrys?" Percy asked.

"The mountain fortress of the Titans," Zoë explained. "In the first war, Olympus and Othrys were the two rival capitals of the world. Othrys was-" She winced and held her side.

"You're hurt," Percy said, concerned. "Let me see."

"No! It is nothing!" she protested.

"Zoë," I said kindly. "I've been in a lot of fights and trust me when I say an injury is never _nothing _unless you're already fighting. If you go into a battle hurt, you're more likely to be defeated."

"I'll be fine!" she snapped. "As I was saying, in the first war, Othrys was blasted into pieces."

"But… how is it here?"

I looked around cautiously, hearing something in the distance. "It moves in the same way that Olympus moves. It always exists on the edges of civilization. But the fact that it's here on _this _mountain is not good."

Despite my growing worries that something was close, I was curious. "Why?"

"This is Atlas's mountain," Zoë said. "Where he holds—" She froze. Her voice was ragged with despair. "Where he used to hold up the sky."

We had reached the summit. A few yards ahead of us, gray clouds swirled in a heavy vortex, making a funnel cloud that almost reached the mountaintop, but instead rested on the shoulders of a twelve year old girl with auburn hair and a tattered silver dress, her legs bound to the rock with celestial chains.

"My lady!" Zoë rushed forward, but the girl, Artemis, stopped her.

"Stop! It is a trap. You must leave now."

Zoë was crying. She ran forward despite her lady's protests and tugged at the chains.

A booming voice, like the one I'd heard earlier, spoke behind us. "Ah, how touching.

Instantly, I turned, grabbing my bow and notching an arrow. The General was standing there in his brown silk suit. Next to him was a boy with blonde hair and blue eyes and half a dozen snake ladies. _Ugh. I hate snakes._ They were carrying a large golden sarcophagus. A girl stood next to the boy with her hands cuffed and a gag in her mouth. The boy held a sword at her throat.

She looked desperately at Percy, warning him with her eyes. _So this must be Annabeth, _I thought.

"Luke," Thalia said, addressing the boy. "Let her go."

_So this is Luke, _I thought. _Not very impressive for a bad guy._

Luke's smile was weak and pale. "That is the General's decision, Thalia, but it's good to see you again."

I smirked when she spat on him.

The General chuckled. "So much for old friends. And you, Zoë. It's been a long time. How is my little traitor? I will enjoy killing you."

I snarled. Maybe Zoë and I didn't get along well, but she was a friend and a policy I've adopted since the school is that whatever harms a friend harms me and I don't take well to being harmed.

"Do not respond," Artemis said. "Do not challenge him."

I looked at the man Percy'd called The General. "You're Atlas."

"Very good, girl," the Titan said, looking at me. "Pretty impressive for an unclaimed newbie. Have you even been to camp yet?"

I raised an eyebrow but didn't respond. He was trying to get a rise out of me but I'd been up against worse than calling me a "newbie".

"Yes, I am Atlas, the general of the Titans and terror of the gods. Congratulations. I will deal with you presently as soon as I deal with this wretched girl.

I aimed my bow at him. "You'll have to get through us first."

He sneered at me. "How honorable. But you have no right to interfere, hero. This is a family matter."

"Family?" Percy frowned.

"Yes," Zoë said bleakly. "Atlas is my father."

**And there's chapter 15. Chapter 16 should be up sometime this week, don't worry. Review please! Again, so sorry for the wait!**

**AJ**


	14. Of Betrayal And Temptation

**A/N: Look, guys, I made it.**

**And, wow, that was a huge response to the last chapter. Including a couple of pushy reviewers… Geez, guys. Chill.**

**Thanks for the support!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. No, seriously, I don't.**

"The worst pain in the world goes beyond the physical. Even further beyond any other emotional pain one can feel. It is the betrayal of a friend."

― Heather Brewer, _Ninth Grade Slays_

**Max POV**

So, Zoë had some daddy issues. The awful thing? I could see the resemblance. Atlas had the same cold, proud look in his eyes that Zoë did, though in him it looked a thousand times more evil. He was everything in her that made her strong but twisted.

As a girl who'd had to fight to survive, I understood building up walls to protect yourself. Zoë had done so after the whole ordeal with Hercules (which Percy had informed me of) and after leaving her father. It was an admirable trait and difficult to achieve. Zoë held herself well and used her strength to fight for Artemis and "The Good Side". Atlas was like walking, Greek Darth Vader or Voldemort or something as evil.

"Let Artemis go," Zoë demanded.

The Titan walked over to the chained goddess. "Perhaps you'd like to take the sky for her, then? Be my guest."

Zoë opened her mouth to speak, but Artemis said, "No! Do not offer, Zoë! I forbid it!"

Atlas smirked, walking over to the goddess. He tried to touch her face but she bit at him, almost taking off his fingers. I smirked, feeling respect for the goddess form in my brain.

Atlas chuckled. "See, daughter? Lady Artemis likes her new job. I think I will have all the Olympians take turns carrying my burden once Lord Kronos rules again, and this is the center of our palace. It will teach those weaklings some humility."

Thalia mumbled something I didn't pay attention to. Percy spoke up. "I don't understand," he said. "Why can't Artemis just let go of the sky?"

I spared an incredulous look at him. Was he stupid? Let go of the sky?

Atlas laughed. "How little you understand, young one. This is the point where the sky and the earth first met, where Ouranos and Gaia first brought forth their mighty children, the Titans. The sky still yearns to embrace the earth. Someone must hold it at bay; otherwise it would crush down upon this place, instantly flattening the mountain and everything within a hundred leagues. Once you have taken the burden, there is no escape."

He approached us, studying Thalia and Percy. "So these are the best heroes of the age, eh? Not much of a challenge."

"Fight us," Percy said. "And let's see."

I felt pride swell up in me for my brother. Here he was, his best friend and a goddess held hostage, his team leader injured and he was challenging a powerful Titan to a standoff.

It wasn't particularly bright, but, hey, I respect him for trying.

"Have the gods taught you nothing? An immortal does not fight a mere mortal directly. It is beneath our dignity. I will have Luke crush you instead."

My wings ruffled together at being called beneath anyone or their dignity.

"Coward," I spat at him.

He didn't pay much attention to me, passing me off as an unclaimed newbie that wasn't really important to anything.

_If only he knew._

"As for you, daughter of Zeus," he said, addressing Thalia," It seems Luke was wrong about you."

"I wasn't wrong," Luke labored out. He looked terribly weak and he spoke as if it were painful. "Thalia you can still join us. Call the Ophiotaurus. It will come to you. Look!"

He waved his hand and next to us a pool of water appeared, big enough for Bessie.

"Thalia, call the Ophiotaurus, "Luke persisted. "And you will be more powerful than the gods."

"Luke…" Her voice was full of pain. "What happened to you?"

"Don't you remember all those times we talked? All those times we cursed the gods? Our fathers have done nothing for us. They have no right to rule the world!"

I wanted to throw out a snarky comment about how the Titans haven't done much either, but something told me this was strictly between Thalia and Luke.

Thalia shook her head. "Free Annabeth. Let her go."

"If you join me," he promised. "It can be like old times. The three of us together. Fighting for a better world. Please, Thalia, if you don't agree…"

Suddenly, I understood. Luke's betrayal to Thalia was the same as if Fang had betrayed me. I felt a pang in my chest, longing for my best friend. _As soon as this is over, _I promised myself, _I'm going home. Back to Colorado. To the Flock, to Angel, to Gazzy, to Iggy, to Nudge, and to Fang, the one who I longed to see more than anyone. _It didn't matter that we'd fought. I saw how torn up Thalia was fighting with Luke and I couldn't be like that with Fang.

"It's my last chance," Luke was telling her. "He'll use the other way if you don't agree. Please."

"Do not, Thalia," Zoë warned. "We must fight them."

Luke waved his hand again and a fire appeared. A sacrificial flame.

"Thalia," I said. "Don't let him get to you."

Behind Luke, the golden sarcophagus began to glow. As it did, I saw images in the mist all around us: black marble walls rising, the ruins becoming whole, a terrible and beautiful palace rising around us, made of fear and shadows.

"We will raise Mount Othrys right here. Once more, it will be stronger and greater than Olympus. Look, Thalia. We are not weak."

He pointed towards the ocean. Or, rather, towards the large army of monsters marching up the side of the mountain. Based on their pace, we only had a few minutes until they arrived.

"This is only a taste of what is to come," Luke said. "Soon, we will be ready to storm Camp Half-Blood. And after that, Olympus itself."

For a terrible moment, Thalia hesitated. She gazed at Luke with so much pain in her eyes as if she wanted nothing more than to believe him. I couldn't blame her, really. Then she leveled her spear. "You aren't Luke. I don't know you anymore."

"Yes, you do, Thalia," he pleaded. "Please don't make me… Don't make _him _destroy you."

There was no time. If the army got to the top of the hill, we'd be overwhelmed. I could get out, obviously, but looking around at Percy, Thalia, and Zoë, I realized I didn't want to leave them behind.

"Now," Percy said and together, we charged.

**So, I lied, the really exciting chapter comes next time (tomorrow) because my hands are tired and female problems suck so I don't have enough energy to do this entire chapter tonight. You'll get part 2 tomorrow, I promise.**

**Review!**

**AJ**


	15. Weight of the Sky On Your Shoulders

**A/N: This is a bit later than I promised but it's also longer than I'd originally intended, so there you go. After this chapter, I finally get to start writing my own original dialogue and action! I'm so excited!**

**Wow, guys! Thanks so much for all the reviews and follows and favorites!**

**Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing.**

"_Where every something, being blent together turns to a wild of nothing." _

-William Shakespeare

**MPOV**

Thalia went for Luke. Her shield- which, if I haven't mentioned, has a big ol' ugly head of Medusa on it- scared away his snake-lady bodyguards, leaving him and the coffin behind. Despite his sickly appearance (or, for all I know, he could always look like that), Luke was quick with his sword. He snarled- like, actually _snarled_- and counterattacked. When his sword met Thalia's shield, a ball of lighting erupted between them, frying the air with power.

I found myself questioning Percy's sanity when he went straight for the Titan Lord Atlas, who laughed at him, then summoned his weapon and accepted the fight.

I didn't have a sword or a knife and, let's face it, archery isn't exactly a close-range sport, so I started to shoot at the army climbing up the mountainside, keeping the others in my peripheral vision in case I needed to come in and cover them. Percy had explained how only Celestial Bronze could kill monsters or harm immortals, but I knew that a good punch could at least buy time, if nothing else. I kept my guard up.

It's a good thing I did, because suddenly Percy stopped fighting. He went from the graceful warrior I'd seen him be to a clumsy newbie. It was like his sword had become lead and he didn't know how to handle it anymore. I turned and aimed a few arrows at Atlas and fired them off, but they didn't do much good. Oh, they hit and lodged into him, of course, but he brushed it off as if they were nothing but rubber bands. Percy was slammed into the ground at Artemis's feet.

"Run, boy," she told him. "You must run."

I looked at her and suddenly a plan hit me, right about the same time it hit Percy. I ran and knelt by her. "My Lady," I said, bowing. "Give me the sky."

"_Max_," Percy said, aghast.

"You don't know what you're doing, young one," she said gently. "It is too much, even for a demigod."

"I'm not a normal demigod, " I said, looking up into her eyes. "And I can't fight a Titan with no training or even a proper weapon. The bow is great for what it's used for but not close-ranged fighting." While both Percy and Artemis stared at me, I snatched Percy's sword and cut her chains then positioned myself on one knee and put my hands up, holding the sky with the goddess and, for a moment, it was the heaviest thing I've ever felt. Then Artemis nodded and got out from under the sky and went after the Titan and the weight multiplied by one million.

I thought about sending a letter to the figure-of-speech society about their phrases. The one about "the weight of the world on your shoulders" should definitely be changed to "the weight of the sky".

"Max…" Percy said. "Let me help you." Before I could protest, he was facing me, mirroring my position and the weight lessened- just barely, but noticeable.

My bones felt like fire. I wanted to scream, but nothing would come out. Percy began to sink.

_No. No, keep fighting. Stay strong, brother. We can get through this. Together._

My vision went black and I couldn't see anything, but I knew I wasn't unconscious because I could still feel every ounce of the sky bearing down on me. I forced myself to keep holding on. I tried to motivate myself.

_Think of the Flock. Think of little Angel, who's only four. Think of Gazzy and Iggy and how much trouble they'll get in without you there to stop them. Think of Nudge and how no one else in the world can talk as fast as she can. _

_ Think of Fang, your best friend. Think of your fight with him and how you can't leave the world without making things right. Think of how he'd be strong in your situation._

_ Think of Percy, who's right beside you, going through the same thing, supporting you as you support the sky. Of Thalia and Zoë, who are fighting people they both once cared about. Think of Artemis, who held this burden for days. Think of Grover. Think of Bianca, who sacrificed herself so your brother could live, leaving her own behind. _

_ Think of flying and how you've never felt as free and light as you do when you're soaring high, above any plane or regular bird. Focus on the feeling of freedom._

My breathing came easier and I caught glimpses of the battle. Artemis was fighting Atlas with two wicked hunting knives about the size of her arm, a blur of silver as she dodged his javelin. Zoë shot arrows at her father, aiming for the chinks in his armor. He roared in pain every time one hit its mark but they affected him like bee stings, only making him madder.

Thalia and Luke went sword-on-spear, lighting flashing around them. Thalia pressed Luke back with the aura of her shield that even he was not immune to.

"Yield!" she yelled. "You never could beat me, Luke."

"We'll see, my old friend."

Atlas advanced, pressing Artemis. She was fast but his strength was unstoppable. She led him back toward us.

_Get ready, _she spoke in our minds.

I braced myself, rising up onto my knee. Atlas feinted at her and she dodged only to have his weapon sweep her off her feet. He brought his javelin up for the kill.

"No!" Zoë screamed. She leaped between her father and Artemis and shot an arrow straight into the Titan's forehead. He howled and brushed her away with the back of his hand, sending her flying into the black rocks.

I wanted to run to her aid, but I couldn't. Then Atlas turned on Artemis with a look of triumph on his face. The goddess seemed to be wounded. She didn't get up.

"The first blood in a new war," Atlas gloated. And he stabbed downward.

Faster than I could see, Artemis grabbed his javelin shaft. It hit the earth right next to her and she pulled backward, using the javelin like a lever, kicking the Titan Lord and sending him flying over her. I saw him coming over me and Percy and we loosened our grip on the sky, rolling away as Atlas slammed into us and the weight of the sky dropped onto him.

_"Noooooooo!_" He bellowed so hard it shook the mountain. "_Not again!"_

I tried to stand and wobbled, my legs weak from the pain. I took a few breaths then stood up, pushing through it. I couldn't afford to be weak during a fight.

Thalia backed Luke up to the edge of a cliff, but they still fought on, next to the golden coffin. Thalia had tears in her eyes. Luke had a bloody slash against his chest and his pale face glistened with sweat.

He lunged at Thalia and she slammed him with her shield. Luke's sword spun out of his hands and clattered to the rocks. Thalia put her spear to his throat.

For a moment, there was silence.

"Well?" Luke asked.

Thalia trembled with fury. Behind her, Annabeth came scrambling, free of her bonds. "Don't kill him!"

"He's a traitor!" Thalia said. "A traitor!"

"We'll bring Luke back," Annabeth pleaded. "To Olympus. He- he'll be useful."

"He won't say anything or help anyone," I said truthfully. "Will you?"

"Is that what you want Thalia?" Luke sneered. "To go back to Olympus in triumph? To please your dad?"

Thalia hesitated and Luke made a grab for her spear. "No!" Annabeth shouted. But it was too late. Without thinking, Thalia kicked Luke away, sending him spiraling over the cliff.

"Luke!" Annabeth screamed. The others ran to the edge, looking over the cliff, but I knew what they would find. I ran to Zoë and knelt next to her side along with Artemis. She was breathing and her eyes were open, but I wasn't fooled.

"The wound is poisoned," Artemis said.

"Atlas poisoned her?" Percy asked.

"No," I said. "Ladon." The goddess nodded. I knew the wound was much worse than she let on. Why would she fight if she was already injured?

But I knew why. I would've done the same. It was the right thing to do.

"The stars," the Huntress said. "I cannot see them."

"Nectar and ambrosia!" Percy said desperately. "Come on, we have to get her some!" But no one moved. Grief hung in the air. The army of Kronos was right on our tail. We might've met our doom right there, but then I heard a buzzing noise.

Just as the monsters came over the hill, a Sopwith Camel swooped down out of the sky.

"Get away from my daughter," Dr. Chase called down, and his machine guns burst to life, peppering the ground with bullet holes and startling the whole group of monsters into scattering.

"Dad?" Annabeth yelled, astounded.

"Run!"

This shook Artemis out of her grief. "A brave man," she said with grudging approval. "Come. We must get Zoë away from here."

She raised her hunting horn to her lips and its clear sound echoed down the valleys of Marin. Zoë's eyes were fluttering.

"Hang in there," I told her, squeezing her hand before we began walking.

The biplane swooped down again. The first row of snake women wailed as they were blown into yellow, sulfurous powder.

"That's… my dad," Annabeth said in awe.

We didn't have time to admire his flying. The giants and snake women were already recovering from their surprise. Dr. Chase would be in trouble soon.

Just then, the moonlight brightened, and a silver chariot appeared from the sky, drawn by a beautiful dear.

"Get in," Artemis said.

Annabeth, Percy and Thalia climbed up then I helped Zoë get on board before following her. We wrapped Zoë in a blanket as Artemis pulled the reins and the chariot sped away from the mountain, straight into the air.

"Like Santa Claus's sleigh," Percy mumbled, still disoriented from the sky.

Artemis looked back at him. "Indeed, young half-blood. And where do you think that legend came from?"

Seeing us safely away, Dr. Chase turned his biplane and followed us. Behind us, an army roared in anger as they gathered on the summit of the mountain, but the loudest scream of all was Atlas, bellowing curses under the weight of the sky.

**A/N: Not as original as I would have liked, but this is really the first time in the story we get to see Max do something important and it impacts some things later on that play a big role in the story.**

**I'll update again by Sunday, I think. Review, please!**

**AJ**


	16. Of Loss and Friendship

**A/N: OMG I am the worst writer in the history of all writers. Sorry guys! But I'm posting this now and there are like three-ish chapters after this one. But this story will be finished this week! I promise! I'll have this chapter and maybe another up tonight, then one tomorrow (or maybe two) then an epilogue Sunday or Monday. Then, next year, I'll write the sequel. I'm really excited for it! I can't wait to write my own backstory to what we already know. It's going to be a lot more focused on Max's role and her character than this one has been. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Maximum Ride, **_**or the following quote. Though I did recently meet the man who owns PJO. Uncle Rick, you are my favorite. If you want to know my thoughts on MOA, PM me or look me up on YouTube (Abby-Jade-Love)**

"When twilight drops her curtain down

And pins it with a star

Remember that you have a friend

Though she may wander far."

― L.M. Montgomery

**MPOV**

It was dark by the time we landed in Cissy Field. I knelt at Zoë's side next to Artemis and Thalia. She was shivering, and the faint glow that usually hung around her was fading.

"Can you heal her?" I asked the goddess.

She looked troubled. "Life is a fragile thing. If the Fates will the string to be cut, there is little I can do. But I can try."

She tried to set her hand on Zoë side but the huntress grabbed her wrist to stop her. She looked into Artemis' eyes and an understanding passed between them.

"Have I… served thee well?" Zoë asked in a hoarse whisper.

"With great honor," Artemis said softly. "The finest of my attendants."

Zoë's face relaxed. "Rest. At last."

"I can try to heal the poison, my brave one."

But in that moment, I knew along with everyone else there that it wasn't just the poison killing her. It was her father's final blow.

She saw Thalia and took her hand. "I'm sorry we argued. We could have been sisters."

"It's my fault," Thalia said, blinking hard to fight back tears. "You were right about Luke, about heroes, men- everything."

"Perhaps not all men," Zoë murmured, looking towards my brother. She smiled weakly. "Do you still have the sword, Percy?"

He didn't speak, but brought Riptide up and placed it in her hand. "You spoke the truth, Percy Jackson. You are nothing like… like Hercules. I am honored that you carried his sword."

A shudder ran through her body and she turned her head to see me. "Max," she whispered, reaching out towards my hand. "I'm sorry we don't have more time together. You have the spirit of a true huntress. You are brave, and strong, and you have no regard for the rules, and I admire you for that. Be well, Max. I'm glad you came with us today."

A tear fell down my cheek. "Zoë-"

"Stars," she whispered. "I can see the stars again, my lady."

"Yes, my brave one," Artemis cried. "They are beautiful tonight."

"Stars," Zoë repeated, her eyes fixed on the sky. She did not move again.

Thalia lowered her head and I grasped desperately for her hand and hugged her as we cried. Annabeth choked down a sob and her father drew her into his arms. Artemis cupped her hand above Zoë's mouth and spoke a few words in Ancient Greek. A silvery wisp of smoke exhaled from Zoë's lips and was caught in the hand of the goddess. Zoë's body shimmered and disappeared. Artemis stood, said a blessing, and released the silver dust into the sky. It flew up, sparkling, and vanished.

Looking up, I saw the stars were brighter now. They made a patter I'd never noticed before- a gleaming constellation that looked a lot like a girl's figure- a girl with a bow, running across the sky.

"Let the world honor you, my Huntress," Artemis said. "Live forever in the stars."

In my head, I thought, _be at peace, Zoë. You will be remembered._

It was a while before the thunder started.

"I must leave immediately for Olympus," Artemis said. "I will not be able to take you, but I will send help."

She looked at Annabeth and smiled. "You are very brave. You will make the right choice."

Well, that sounds ominous. Choices, I mean. More specifically: _right _ones. It implies fate and destiny and _impact._ Those choices are the scariest of them all.

She looked quizzically at Thalia as if she wasn't sure what to make of the daughter of Zeus. The girl was reluctant to look up, but she did, meeting Artemis's eyes, which softened with sympathy. Then she turned to Percy.

"You did well," she said. "For a man."

I smirked a bit, but then her eyes landed on me. "And you," she said, regarding me with interest, "You are special indeed, child. You would make a brilliant huntress."

I squirmed under her gaze, meeting her eyes with steely ones. I don't trust people who have more power than I do, as a rule, and everything in me screamed to fly away, because she _definitely _had power, but I can't deny that something inside me swelled with pride at being called special by a goddess. "Special, huh?" I said with a familiar bite in my voice. "That's one word for it. I've been called many other."

Rather than becoming frustrated at my remark, the goddess merely smiled. "Yes," she said. "You are going to be _very _important one day. Perhaps more important than your brother."

I glanced at Percy then looked back at Artemis, who then countered her statement with a very real, very deadly one. "That is, if you all survive past the solstice."

And on that happy note, she mounted her chariot and was gone in a bright flash of silver.

"Well," Dr. Chase sighed. "She was impressive; though I must say I still prefer Athena."

I rolled my eyes. Annabeth turned to talk to her father. I was never one for heartfelt conversations, so I just looked to the sky and tuned out their discussion.

Then I heard a whoosh of large wings, as large as, if not larger than, mine. I searched the clouds, hoping to see Fang, or Iggy, or anyone else in my Flock, who I hadn't seen in a week, but instead I was met with the sight of four winged horses, two white, one pure black, and one chestnut brown.

"Blackjack!" Percy called.

_Yo, boss! _I heard in my head. I looked up, startled. _You manage to stay alive okay without me?_

Shocked, I turned to Percy to see he was unaffected by the sudden voice.

"It was rough," he said.

_It's a gift of the children of Poseidon, princess,_ a new, feminine voice said in my head. I turned to see the chestnut mare now on land, walking towards me. _Poseidon created the horses, and, in turn, the pegasi. His kin can communicate with us._

_What is your name?_ I asked, absorbing this new information. Okay, so I can talk to horses. What else is new?

_Tamesis, princess. _

_Max, _I said firmly- if you can think firmly, that is. _My name is Max. Where do you get 'princess' from anyway?_

_It is what you are. The first demigod daughter of Poseidon since the high days of the Greeks. Unless you count Cassia, who was really a daughter of Neptune under Roman rule and, well, no one likes to remember her anyway._

I smiled. _Then do not relate me to her. My name is Maximum, not Cassia, or princess, or mistress, or any other title, okay?_

The pegasus whinnied in agreement and I smiled.

"Brilliant!" I heard. I turned to see Dr. Chase staring open-mouthed at the one Percy had called Blackjack. "Such maneuverability! How does the wingspan compensate for the weight of the horse's body, I wonder?"

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. So it didn't matter _what _kind of doctor you were. Given a specimen to look at, a scientist will wonder.

He began to discuss the potential use of pegasi in some old battle and then Annabeth, thankfully, interrupted him. "Dad!"

He blinked and managed a smile. "I'm sorry. I know you must go."

_Crap. More sappy shit, _I said in my head. I heard Tamesis whinny again and I groaned. _You heard that, didn't you?_

_Yes, _she said plainly. _Now, if you don't want the others to know about your wings I suggest you get on my back so I can carry you._

_Carry me where? _I asked, surprisingly unconcerned with the fact that she knew I had wings. So what? So did she.

_Olympus, princess._

_Tamesis-_

_I call you princess now because it is a princess you must be if you wish to survive past the Winter Council. All three brothers will be there tonight, as well as the other ten Olympians. You must be ready and regal and, above all, logical. Your life, and those of your friends are at stake._

I felt a little weird, getting advice from a horse, but then I shrugged. It isn't as if I had anyone else to turn to.

_So, how does this work? _I asked, climbing onto her back. _Are you always in my head, or rare occasions, or is this like a job where you get weekends and holidays off, because I'm going to _suck _at keeping track of that._

She chuckled. _I will be with you when you need me and when you call I will come. Whenever we are together, we will be in each other's minds just like this. That is, if you accept my loyalty as a servant to you._

_Servant? _I asked, appalled. _I don't really need a servant, Tamesis, um-_

_Not the kind you are thinking of. I mean servant as I just described: partners bonded by the sea and to work together in battle. Do you accept my offer, princess?_

_As long as you call me Max from now on. _

_Then, by the River Styx and furthermore by the Caribbean Sea, I pledge my loyalty and life to you, Maximum Ride, princess of the sea. I swear to protect you and be your confidant and comrade. _

_Um, _I stumbled.

_You must formally accept me, Max._

I had no idea how to do that. So I reached inside the primal part of me that called for dominance and power and found what to say.

_By the River and the Sea, I hold you to your oath, Tamesis, and also swear to be your partner and to care and protect you as a sister, for you are now my kin. _

I opened my eyes wide, unsure of where that came from, but I felt its truth as I said it and its binding power ran through my veins, giving me energy.

"There it is," Thalia called, pulling me back into the world around us. "It's started."

_The Council of the Gods. It is time your fate is decided._

**You have no idea how sorry I am that it's been- what, five months? Geez. To all my lovely reviewers and followers and readers, thanks for sticking with me. We're nearing the end, ladies and gentlemen, and there are some big surprises ahead. The future for Max won't be the one you'd expect.**

**I'm going to post this chapter now, then get right on the next one.**

**R&R**

**AJ**


	17. Council of the Gods

**A/N: As always, I don't own the quote, **_**Maximum Ride, **_**or **_**Percy Jackson and the Olympians. **_**Anything you may recognize does not belong to me either. **

**Wow, that was a huge response last chapter. Thanks, guys! If I haven't responded to your review yet, I will later today, but it's been a busy morning.**

**I like this chapter because I get to me a bit more creative and write a bit more in my own words than Mr. Riordan's.**

**MPOV**

Olympus wasn't what I'd expected.

Well, really, I hadn't known what to expect. The only thing I had to base my knowledge off of was the Disney movie _Hercules, _which, obviously, isn't very accurate.

But I know I had definitely not been expecting a huge mountain right in the middle of midtown Manhattan, surrounded by dark clouds, which only enhanced the rumbling thunder and sharp cracks of lightning across the sky. For the first time in my life, it felt wrong for me to be in the air.

_You're in Zeus's realm, Max. He rules not only the sky but also Olympus. I have no idea why he has let you fly before, being who you are, but here it is twice as dangerous. In fact, were his daughter not with us and your father not inside with him, I believe you and your brother would be cast down instantly._

_ Well, that's encouraging, _I thought sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

In the darkness of the early morning, torches lit up the palaces on the mountain, illuminating the streets full of demigods and spirits, godlings and monsters, and the gardens of Olympus. The scene did not reflect the image that Disney would lead you to have, nor did it show the regular New York winter- or any winter at all. The gardens were in full bloom and the streets had a feel of springtime.

At the peak of the mountain, I saw the biggest palace of all. It was glowing and white, and it towered over the rest of Olympus.

_There, _Tamesis said in my mind. _That is your destination. _The pegasi landed in front of the tall, silver gates. _I must leave you here, princess. But do not worry. I will not go far. Good luck, Max._

_ Thank you, Tamesis. I'll see you soon._

She and the others flew off, leaving Annabeth, Thalia, Percy and I alone. For a minute we stood there, regarding the palace wearily, and then we walked into the throne room.

Twelve enormous thrones made a U around a central hearth. The ceiling glistened with constellations- even the newest one, in the form of our friend Zoë the Huntress.

All of the seats were occupied. A god or goddess sat on their thrones, which were each about ten feet tall- the thrones, I mean, not the gods, though they were taller still.

"Welcome, heroes," Artemis said.

"Mooo!"

I looked over to see Grover and the Ophiotaurus. A sphere of water was hovering in the center of the room, next to the fire. The monster was swimming happily around, poking his head out of the top, sides, and bottom of the sphere. Grover was kneeling at Zeus's throne, the biggest in the room. When he saw us, he cried out, "You made it!"

He started to run towards us, but then realized he was turning his back on Zeus, and looked back for permission.

"Go on, " he said, but he wasn't paying much attention to the satyr. Instead, his eyes were trained on Thalia.

I looked toward the god I knew to be my father, Poseidon. He was wearing beach shorts, a Hawaiian shirt, and sandals. He had a weathered, suntanned face with a dark beard and deep green eyes. I shuffled nervously as he smiled at Percy before his eyes turned to me. They filled with a pool of pride and I looked away, back towards the front of the throne room. By the time I realized that something like that could've gotten me killed, it was too late, and Grover was talking.

"We made it! But you have to convince them! They can't do it!"

"Do what?" Percy asked.

"Heroes," Artemis called. The goddess slid down from her throne and turned to human size, perfectly at ease. She walked towards us, her silver robes shimmering. "The Council has been informed of your deeds. They know that Mount Othrys is rising, of Atlas's attempt at freedom, and the gathering army. We have voted to act."

There was some mumbling and shuffling around the room as if not all the gods were happy with this plan.

"At my Lord Zeus's command, my brother Apollo and I shall hunt the most powerful of monsters, seeking to strike them down before they can join the Titans' cause. Lady Athena shall personally check on the other Titans to make sure they do not escape their various prisons. Lord Poseidon has been given permission to unleash his full fury on the _Princess Andromeda _and send it to the bottom of the sea. As for you, my heroes…"

She turned to face the other gods. "These half-bloods have done Olympus a great service. Would any here deny that?'

"I gotta say," one of the gods, wearing shades and iPod headphones, spoke up. Apollo. "These kids did okay." He cleared his throat and began to recite: "_Heroes win laurels-"_

"Um, yes, first class," another god interrupted, as though he was anxious to escape Apollo's poetry. "All in favor of not disintegrating them?"

A few tentative hands went up.

"Wait just a minute," a god sporting a motorcycle jacket and an angry expression growled. Ares. "Theses two are dangerous," he said, pointing at Percy and Thalia. "It'd be much safer, while we've got them here-"

"Ares," Poseidon said. "They are worthy heroes. We will not blast my son to bits."

"Nor my daughter," Zeus grumbled. "She has done well."

_Why are they ignoring me? I mean, I don't want them to debate about killing _me, _but…_

The goddess Athena cleared her throat and sat forward. "I am proud of my daughter as well, but there is a security risk with the other two."

"Mother!" Annabeth said indignantly. "How can you-?"

Athena cut her off with a calm but firm look. "It is unfortunate that my father and uncle have both decided to break their oath. Ironically, only Hades kept his word. As we know from the Great Prophecy, children of the elder gods are dangerous. As thickheaded as he is, Ares has a point."

I looked at my father in confusion as to why I had not been recognized as dangerous as well. He lifted a finger to his lips to prevent me from speaking up, so I didn't. Normally, I wouldn't comply with orders, especially ones moving me to silence, but I made an exception in a courtroom full of gods.

Another god gazed down at us wearily. "I have no love for them. Athena, do you really think it safest to destroy them?"

"I do not pass judgment. That is for the Council to decide."

"I will not have them punished," Artemis insisted. "I will have them rewarded. If we punish those who have done us a favor, then we are no better than the Titans. If this is Olympian justice, I will have none of it."

"Calm down, sis. Geez, you need to lighten up," Apollo said.

"Do not call me _sis._"

"Well," Zeus grumbled. "Perhaps. The monster at least must be destroyed. We agree upon that?"

Every god's head nodded.

Then my idiot brother had to speak up.

"Bessie?" he asked incredulously. "You want to destroy Bessie?"

_Oh, my God, Percy, shut up. Do you want to get us all killed? _Don't get me wrong, I am a huge supporter of animal rights, but that doesn't mean that I'm willing to get myself killed for one. My priorities have always lied with my family and friends. Everyone else is an option. I support my own first.

"You have named the Ophiotaurus Bessie?" Poseidon asked, flustered.

"Dad," Percy protested. "He's a sea creature. A really _nice _sea creature. You can't destroy him."

"Percy, the monster's power is inconsiderable. If the Titans find him-"

"You can't! Controlling prophecies never works. Isn't that true? Besides, Bess- the Ophiotaurus is innocent. Killing something like that is wrong. It's just as wrong as- as Kronos eating his children just because of something they _might _do. It's wrong!'

_That was a bad example. Especially because they did indeed end up overthrowing him, didn't they?_

"And what of the risk? Kronos knows full well, if one of you were to sacrifice the beast's entrails, you would have the power to destroy us. Do you think we can let that possibility remain? You, my daughter, will turn sixteen on the morrow, just as the prophecy says."

"You have to trust them," Annabeth said. "Sir, you have to trust them?"

Zeus scoffed in disbelief. "Trust a hero?"

"Annabeth is right," Artemis said. "Which is why I must first make a reward. My faithful companion, Zoë Nightshade, has passed into the stars. I must have a new lieutenant. But first, Father, I must speak with you."

The two gods conversed quietly and my brother began to have a small panic attack next to me.

"Annabeth," he said desperately. "_Don't._"

"What?"

"Look, I need to tell you something," he said to her. I tuned him out and focused on what was going on with the gods. I didn't need to hear his talk with her. I recognized the signs, of course. He was in love with her. Why he was panicking escaped me, but it was none of my business anyways.

Zeus and Artemis conversed quietly, before the goddess turned to face us.

"I shall have a new lieutenant. Actually, I'd prefer to have two, if they will accept."

"First, Thalia, daughter of Zeus, will you join the Hunt?'

Stunned silence filled the room. I looked at Thalia, shocked. She and Zoë had obviously disagreed on the Hunt's basic principals. The fact that Artemis would invite her, of all people, to join the Hunt was astonishing, to say the least.

"I will," Thalia said firmly.

Zeus rose, his eyes full of concern. "My daughter, consider well…"

"Father," she said. "I will not turn sixteen tomorrow. I will never turn sixteen. I won't let this prophecy be mine. I stand with my sister Artemis. Kronos will never tempt me again."

Artemis smiled at her and then, to my shock, turned to me. "Max. Will you join the Hunt?'

I could feel everyone's eyes on me. I looked at the goddess, stunned. "Me?"

She nodded. "You are a brave, young maiden. You have proven yourself by holding up the sky and knowing when and where you can serve the best in battle. I admire those qualities in my hunters."

"I- Lady Artemis," I stammered. "I appreciate the offer, really. It is a great honor and I would not dishonor you in my refusal, but I have other responsibilities that I must take care of. A family."

She regarded me. "A family so young?"

I nodded. "Not by blood, but my friends and I have no one but each other. I am their leader. I have already been gone too long. I can not abandon them, no matter how high the honor."

She looked at me. "That is regrettable, then. But I must reward you somehow. You showed great bravery tonight."

"I need no reward, my lady."

She nodded. "But still, it will be given. As I remember, you used a bow and arrow tonight, did you not?"

I shrugged. "It was what was available to me at the time."

"Then as a reward for your courage, I bless you with the power of the bow."

I blushed. "Thank you, my lady."

"And now, Thalia," Artemis said. "Are you ready?"

Thalia walked up to the goddess and kneeled before her. "I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men…"

Afterward, Thalia hugged each of us, including Grover and Percy.

After whispering a few encouraging words to Percy, she turned to me and enveloped me in a hug. "Max," she said, "You have to stay strong. Don't give into them."

"Never," I whispered, returning her hug tightly before pulling back. "You'll be a great lieutenant, Thalia." She smiled at me and wiped her eyes."

"Now for the Ophiotaurus," Artemis said.

"The boy is still dangerous. The beast is a temptation to great power. Even if we spare the boy-"

"No," Percy said again. "Please. Keep the Ophiotaurus safe. My dad can hide him under the seas somewhere or keep in in an aquarium here in Olympus. But you have to protect him."

"But why should we trust you?" rumbled another god.

"I'm only fourteen. If this prophecy is about me, that's who more years left."

"Two years for Kronos to deceive you," Athena said. "Much can change in two years, my hero."

My father stood. "I will not have a sea creature destroyed, if I can help it. And I _can _help it."

He held out his hand and a trident appeared in it: a twenty foot long bronze shaft with three spear tips. "I will vouch for the boy and the safety of the Ophiotaurus."

"You won't take it under the sea!" Zeus stood suddenly. "I won't have that kind of bargaining chip in your possession!"

"Brother, please."

Zeus's lightning bolt appeared in his hand.

"Fine," Poseidon said. "I will build an aquarium for the creature here."

"All in favor?"

A lot of hands went up. Dionysus, Ares, and Athena abstained, but everyone else…

"We have a majority. And so, since we will not be destroying these heroes, I imagine we should honor them. Let the triumph celebration begin!"

**Wow, that was long. Thanks for the reviews and follows and kind words. I'll update again tomorrow and then there should only be one or two more chapters after than. Then, I'll start working on the sequel.**

**See you tomorrow!**

**AJ**


	18. Promisses Made

A/N: Hey, guys. Sorry for the late update. I know I said I'd have it up by New Years but I was swamped with homework and then it was a three-week-long exam time. Not fun at all.

I have a recommendation for you guys. Have any of you read _Vampire Academy _by Richelle Mead? Whether you have or not, you should definitely check out the spin-off series, _Bloodlines. _It's absolutely amazing! I love it more than I loved _Vampire Academy. _That's not to say I didn't like _VA_, but the characters in _Bloodlines _are much more complex and the storyline is so much more interesting.

Summary:

Sydney is an alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of human and vampires. They protect vampire secrets - and human lives. When Sydney is torn from her bed in the middle of the night, at first she thinks she's still being punished for her complicated alliance with dhampir Rose Hathaway. But what unfolds is far worse. Jill Dragomir - the sister of Moroi Queen Lissa Dragomir - is in mortal danger, and the Moroi must send her into hiding. To avoid a civil war, Sydney is called upon to act as Jill's guardian and protector, posing as her roommate in the last place anyone would think to look for vampire royalty - a human boarding school in Palm Springs, California. But instead of finding safety at Amberwood Prep, Sydney discovers the drama is only just beginning…

I actually originally ignored this series. I read through VA and by the time it was over I was kind of on my way to losing interest with the Moroi world. A couple years later, I pick up _Bloodlines _and here we are.

GO READ IT!

"_When a man takes an oath... he's holding his own self in his own hands. Like water. And if he opens his fingers then - he needn't hope to find himself again." ~Robert Bolt_

MPOV

There are parties and then there are blowouts. And then there are Olympian parties. I may not be much of a partier and, yeah, maybe every inch of me was screaming to bolt from the room, but I got to hand it to the gods, they sure know how to throw a party.

The muses cranked up the tunes and I soon realized that the music was whatever the listener wanted to hear. For me, I heard rock music and an alternative song here or there. Based on the group of people grinding on the dance floor, I'm willing to bet they heard hip-hop or rap. Others started breakdancing or slow dancing to music I didn't hear.

"Come on, Max," Percy said. "Let me introduce you to some of the campers here."

I followed him as he shoved his way through the crowd on the dance floor and moved to a group of people near the doors. There were five of them. One of them, Annabeth, was staring at me with a curious look that made my skin crawl. The four I didn't recognize were looking at me with friendly faces and smiled at Percy when we reached them.

"Hey, man," a tall, tan boy with blonde hair and a surfer look about him greeted.

"Hey, guys," Percy said. "Um, I wanted to introduce Max here to everyone. So, um, you already know Annabeth, daughter of Athena," he said, indicating towards her with his hand. I nodded at her in recognition and she glared at me. I raised an eyebrow in question and amusement.

"This is Will Solace, son of Apollo," he said, motioning to the surfer who spoke earlier.

"Hi," he smiled. His bright blue eyes regarded me kindly. "It's nice to meet you," he said, sticking out his hand. I looked at it wearily before meeting his eyes again and then shaking it.

"You too," I said.

"And, um, Silena Beauregard," he said, gesturing towards a small girl with stunning blue eyes and beautiful black hair, "Daughter of Aphrodite."

"Hi, Max," Silena said.

I nodded at her and gave her a little half-smile.

"And Charles Beckendorf-"

"Son of Hephaestus," he said, offering his hand, which I shook. It was rough and covered in callouses. "And it's just Beckendorf, actually."

"And Michael Yew."

Michael had brown hair and eyes and stood at about 4'6". He looked at me and, while he didn't offer his hand, he was polite enough and didn't glare at me like Annabeth had. "Nice to meet you, Max."

I nodded in acknowledgement. "You too."

"So how'd you get mixed up in all this?" Will asked.

I shrugged. "I ran into Percy at the Hoover Dam and then, well, things happened that I got dragged into, and I ended up here."

"The Hoover Dam?" Annabeth asked sharply.

"Yeah," I said, looking at her oddly. What was the big deal? "What about it?'

But Annabeth wasn't looking at me. Instead, she was glaring at Percy so fiercely; I thought he might burst into flames. I tensed, ready for some kind of fight to occur. "You went to the Hoover Dam?" she asked him harshly.

My brother looked taken aback. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Um, yeah… We did. We passed it on the way to get you…"

"Why didn't you tell me?" she snapped.

My eyes widened and I looked at the others in the group. "Um, is it normal for them to start fighting randomly like that."

Silena nodded and sighed. "Isn't it romantic?"

I looked at her as if she'd grown three heads-, which, you know, really wouldn't be the weirdest thing I'd seen that week. "Um, no, not really."

"Come on, Charlie," she said, linking her arm through his and pulling him away. "Let's leave these lovebirds alone."

I crinkled my eyebrows, confused. I turned to Will and Michael and saw they were both rolling their eyes.

"She's right," Michael said. "Partially. They do this a lot, but that doesn't mean we all think it's the most romantic thing in the world. However, we should probably leave them alone," he said, eying the couple who were so caught up in their own conversation they didn't even notice we were talking about them. "You know how Annabeth gets…"

Will nodded like he agreed completely. I just shrugged. "Alright."

Will lead the three of us away from the scene. Michael apparently saw something in the crowd because his face, which had previously been serious, broke into a smile and he left after saying a quick goodbye. "Well, he's eager," I observed.

Will followed Michael's path and snorted. "Ha," he laughed. "Yeah, I'd say that was an understatement. He's been trying to get that girl to go out with him for a year now." He smiled fondly at his brother and then turned to me. "Want a drink?"

I shrugged. "Sure."

Will got us both some pink punch. "Um," I said, trying to figure out the flavor. I tried a sip. It was super sweet. I scrunched my nose at the sugar.

Will raised his eyebrows. "You don't like cotton candy?"

"What's cotton candy?" I asked, eyeing my drink, which looked like neither cotton nor candy.

"Are you- are you serious?" He asked me incredulously. "You've never had cotton candy?"

I felt awkward. I guess that was just something I'd missed out on during my years in the School. I shook my head.

"_Really?_" He blinked, surprised. "I can't believe you've never had cotton candy." He looked at me for a moment, considering something, then nodded, coming to a conclusion. "Okay, we have to fix this. You _will _try cotton candy, Max."

I laughed at his seriousness. "I mean, the drink isn't that good, so…"

"Well, first of all the drink is just cotton candy _flavored. _It's not _really _cotton candy." He took my drink from me. "We can't expose you to the flavor without having the actual thing first." He poured me another, this one blue. "Tell me you've had blueberries before, at least."

"Of course," I said. There were a bunch of bushels of blueberries by the E-house. "They're my favorite."

He handed me the new cup. "Well, then maybe you'll like this better."

I smiled and took the drink from him, bringing it to my lips. I grinned at the taste. "Much better."

He laughed. "So how are you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, with being a demigod. I know it isn't easy. I mean, when I first heard, I ran away from my mom's house and stayed with my friend Daniel for a week," he said. "I mean, I heard it in a fight between my mom and my step-dad, so that's not exactly the best way to find out, but," he shrugged, "What way is?"

"How old were you?" I asked.

"I was eight."

I thought about what I was doing when I was eight. I was being forced daily to run through the electric mazes and submitting to different types of experiments. Will was dealing with a broken home and lying parents. "I'm alright," I said honestly. "I mean, I've always known I was different. I never really- well, fit in, I guess. I wouldn't have expected that one of my parents was a Greek god, but… Well, what's life without surprises?"

He smiled. "That's a very optimistic attitude."

I snorted. "Is it?" I asked. "No, I've just accepted the fact that I'm not normal at all. This is just a contributing factor."

He nodded. "That's a bit more pessimistic."

"Call it 'realistic.'" I smirked.

Will laughed for a second before he caught sight of something over my shoulder and his eyes widened significantly. Warily, I turned to see a tall, pale man with black hair and black robes.

"Lord Hades," Will said, bowing. I was shocked.

"You're Hades?" I blurted. I guess that demigod ADHD does impact me after all.

I gave the man another look. His posture was stiff and his face was stern. I almost passed him off as a businessman-albeit a very powerful one, but then I caught his eyes. They were dark- as dark as the shadows. I suddenly realized just how powerful this god was. It was unwise to underestimate him.

"You're Apollo's kid," he said, looking at Will.

"Yes, sir," he said, perfectly respectful.

Hades looked at him with barely concealed disdain. "You don't spout those ludicrous haikus, do you?"

"No, sir," Will said. "I can't stand my father's poetry any more than everyone else."

Hades nodded in approval. "Good." He looked at me, then, and something changed in those dark eyes of his. "You're Maximum, correct?"

I looked directly at him. "It's Max, which you clearly already know, so why are you asking?"

From the corner of my eye, I saw Will's head whip to look at me in horror, but I kept my gaze on the god. Will could be shocked all he wanted. I'm sure he was a perfectly respectful guy, but I'm not.

To my surprise, and Will's, the god's mouth quirked into a smirk. "Well, _Max, _your presence has been requested."

"By who?" I asked.

"By Zeus, Poseidon, and myself," he said.

I was shocked. The three most powerful gods wanted to talk to me? Alone? Yeah, because that was a good idea. I almost refused but then I realized that one of the gods he'd mentioned was my father. I steeled myself and swallowed my swelling emotions as I spoke to Hades.

"Alright," I said, tensely.

"Good. This way," he said, gesturing towards a door on the opposite side of the room. I followed him but then Will stopped me.

"Max," he said, halting me in my tracks. "Are you sure- I mean, do you- do you want me to get Percy or something?" He looked at me with eyes so full of concern that I took pity on him and _didn't _snap at him for assuming I needed help.

"I'm alright, Will," I said sincerely. "Thanks, though. I'll catch you later?"

He hesitated but nodded. "Okay," he said. "See you." Then I left.

The room I walked into was very different from the one I'd left behind. Gone were the extravagant decorations and long refreshment tables. There was no music overhead or large dance floor. Instead, it was all replaced by a conference room with a business table in the center. There were two men, who I knew to be gods, sitting at the end of the table. They were in deep conversation but looked up when I entered.

"Maximum," one of them said, getting up and walking to me. He had black hair and a sun-tanned skin with sea-green eyes like Percy's. "It's so good to finally see you in person."

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"Brother," the other god said. "There will be time for pleasantries and reunions later. It is time for business."

"Zeus," my father said sternly. "I have told you already. There is no reason to think that she will betray us."

"You have already broken the oath once, Poseidon," Zeus said sternly. "I allowed your son to live. A second bastard is unforgivable."

I bristled at being called a bastard, though I knew Zeus meant it in its literal sense.

"Why am I here?" I asked, interrupting their argument.

"You're here, sea child, because your father has broken an oath that we all took many years ago to protect Olympus and because you are not allowed to be alive," Zeus said.

I raised my eyebrow. "Isn't that a bit hypocritical of you?" I asked without thinking. "I mean, I've met _your _daughter, who is definitely not old enough to be born before World War II."

Zeus glared at me and Hades chuckled behind me. "The girl's right you know," he said. "I am the only one of us who has not betrayed the oath we swore on the Styx."

"That is irrelevant," Poseidon said. "I will not allow you to kill my daughter, Zeus, any more that I would my son."

"I do not want your son alive either, brother, as you very well know, but I allowed him to live, because you swore by him as did the council. This girl, however, is different. You know of her power. Those humans gave her extra strength and abilities."

I started, eyes widening. They knew about the school. _My father _knew about the school. _And he did nothing about it._ Anger swelled inside of me and I clenched my fists. But even I wasn't stupid enough to yell at one of the three most powerful gods in front of the other two.

"The girl is dangerous," Zeus concluded. "She could destroy us all."

"Only if you make me hate you," I said. "I mean, assuming I could even do it, there are few things that would make you the top spot on my 'To Destroy' list. Mostly that list just includes the people who experimented on me."

The gods continued, ignoring me. I rolled my eyes. _Really?_

"You will not kill her."

"Then what would you have me do? I could imprison her until the prophecy passes," Zeus suggested.

"No," I spoke so firmly they broke conversation and turned to look at me incredulously.

"Excuse me?" Zeus glared. "You have the nerve to-"

"If you have to kill me, that's one thing, but I'd rather _die _than be imprisoned for _years._"

Hades looked at me curiously, unlike my father who looked like he thought I'd lost my marbles, and Zeus who was infuriated. "Why is that? Surely death is worse."

I looked at the god of the Underworld and met his eyes. "Let's put it this way: do you ever want to return to your father's stomach?" He and my father winced. "Touchy subject, huh?"

"We cannot just let her go free," Zeus said sternly. "We cannot be sure of her loyalty. And even if we could, if anyone else found out about her-"

"We could make her take an oath," Hades suggested. "She's still mortal, no matter what power she has. An oath on the River Styx would be binding. If she even tried to break it, she would die."

Well, that was encouraging.

"Yes, but an oath to what? Remain loyal to us?" Zeus asked. "That's too loose. Loyalty has too many meanings. She could easily find ways around that."

"Make her swear to keep it a secret," my father proposed. "Her DNA and her parentage."

I thought about it. Keeping secrets wasn't so bad. I was used to it, after all. I saw no reason not to take this deal.

"Very well," the lord of the sky said. "Maximum, do you agree to these terms?"

"It's Max," I snapped. "But yes."

"Then swear to them."

I took a breath and one last look around the room. Zeus was staring at me firmly, Hades was looking at me with some unreadable look that didn't seem entirely negative, and my father- well, my father was looking at me encouragingly and I gritted my teeth. "I swear on the River Styx to never tell anyone that I am an avian hybrid nor that I am the daughter of Poseidon."

There was a crash of thunder that was amplified, as we were level with the clouds. "I guess that means it worked."

"Yes," Hades said. "It worked. But you have forgotten something. There are others who already know your lineage- and of your genes, as well."

"The Flock doesn't know anything, they aren't a problem," I said defensively. "They've already been keeping the wings a secret. And Percy and Thalia are the only ones who know that Poseidon is my biological father."

"You must make them swear as well," the god said.

I nodded. "I will."

"Then our business is done here," Hades said. "Good luck, Max. You'll need it."

I was confused about what that comment meant, but I didn't get a chance to ask before Hades and Zeus both left, leaving Poseidon and I alone in the room.

"Daughter," he said, smiling at me. "It really _is _good to see you, Maximum. I know it's not the best of circumstances, but…"

"_Max,_" I interjected.

"Pardon?"

"My name is _Max._ And you know that because I've already said it three times in the last half hour." I crossed my arms and met his eyes with a steely gaze.

"Well, _Max, _it's good to meet you in person," he said, his eyes crinkling into a smile.

I nodded. "Yeah, you said that earlier. What do you mean by that, exactly? 'In person,' I mean."

Poseidon smiled. "I've been watching over you, daughter. I've seen how much you've been through. The others don't trust you because they think you'll be corrupted, but I've seen how brave you are. If you are the prophecy child, and not your brother, then you'll make the right choice."

"There it is," I said. "You saw what I was going through _and you did nothing to stop it._"

"I'm sorry, Max," he said sympathetically. "But I couldn't."

"You _couldn't?_" I asked incredulously. "Are you freaking kidding me? _You're a god! _I imagine there's very little you _can't _do."

"It's against the rules for a god to interfere in the lives of mortals, even his children." Poseidon's tone was condescending, as if I was some child who didn't understand why I had to do my homework.

"Against the rules? Are you serious? I was _experimented on_ and _tortured_ for _ten years _and you didn't help because it was _against the rules?_" I demanded.

"You don't understand, Max. I wanted to help you, I did, but-"

"Yeah, I got it. You weren't allowed to." I scoffed disbelievingly. "Well, thanks a lot, _dad_." I turned and opened the door to leave the room.

"Maximum, wait, please."

I looked him in the eye with a glare that I knew could have made grown men shake in their boots. "It's Max." And that was all I said before I walked out of the room, slamming the door behind me.

**A/N: And that's the end of this chapter. One more chapter to go and then an epilogue then we're done, I believe. After that, I probably won't upload the sequel until June. I'm going to be really busy with all of my research papers due at the end of the semester and regular homework, not to mention extracurricular stuff. **

**Thanks so much for all the love and support! I'm sorry again that it was much, much later than I'd planned.**

**AJ**

**3/2/13**


	19. The Pain and Bonds of Life

**A/N: So, believe it or not, I actually do have my reasons for not updating for 4 months, but you all are more interested in the story than my excuses, so let's get on with it, shall we?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Maximum Ride, **_**or anything you recognize here. They belong respectively to Rick Riordan and James Patterson.**

"There are people who think that to be strong is to never feel pain. But in reality, the strongest people are the ones who feel it, understand it, and accept it." – Edwin Mamerto

**MPOV**

"Come on, Max, don't be so slow!" Percy called gleefully as he ran ahead towards a pine tree on the top of a hill. Behind the tree was an arch with the words "Camp Half-Blood" inscribed in Ancient Greek. My brother wasn't the only one running. After we'd been dropped off in a bus-like vehicle that was apparently Apollo's sun chariot, every camper with us had seemed eager to get back to their home. Other demigods were joking and chasing each other, the post-solstice euphoria having not yet worn off. Only a few trailed behind. Will walked calmly next to me, but with a broad smile on his face. Some other half bloods I'd been told came from the Ares cabin stalked behind us. Finally, Annabeth walked behind Percy, looking somberly at the tree.

She turned and for an instant I stay loss in her face, not surprising, considering hat the tree had once held her best friend who she'd just been separated from. When her eyes met mine, that vulnerability was replaced by coldness. Considering I'd helped rescue her from the clutches of evil, I though she was being a little ungrateful. But maybe that's just me. She glared daggers at me, before turning to catch up with Percy.

I sighed, thinking of my brother. Not that anyone would ever know that's who he was to me. Shortly after I met with the gods, I'd gone back into the hall and pulled Percy and Thalia aside and asked them to swear the same oath I had- sans the stuff about my genetics, which neither of them knew in the first place. They'd been surprised, to say the least.

"Max, are you sure?" Percy had asked, concerned. "I know I said it wasn't a good idea to tell anyone, but I didn't mean-"

"I'm sure," I'd interjected. "That was the deal: I keep the secret, I get to live."

"That's unfair!" Thalia had been outraged. "If we get to live without any conditions, so should you!"

"Well, first, I think they would smite Percy if he ever shows any inkling of harming any deity of Olympus, let alone joining Kronos, and second, you're really only alive because you joined the Hunters of Artemis and won't become sixteen. Besides," I'd added, "Life isn't fair. At least, that's what they say, isn't it?" I'd taken a breath and looked each of them in the eye. "That's not the point, either way. Will you do it? Please?"

They'd shared a reluctant look before turning to me and nodding their consent. They'd sworn the same way I had and then, after Thalia left, Percy and I had talked for an hour or so about little things- things we should have known about each other, but didn't because we'd never met. We talked about our favorite movies, biggest pet peeves, and other insignificant topics. That is, before it turned serious.

"I know we can't tell anyone," he'd told me, after we'd stopped laughing at someone one of us had said, "But you're still my sister, even if I've only known you for, like, three days."

I'd chuckled at him. "You too, Perce. But listen, I'm not- I'm not going to stay at Camp Half-Blood with you."

"But Max-"

"No," I'd insisted firmly. "I have a family, Percy, I've been gone too long already."

"If you just talk to your mom, I'm sure she'd-"

"I don't have a mom," I'd said. "I told you that. I'm the leader of a group- there are six of us. We- well, we had a dad, but he went missing a year ago. We don't even know if he's alive and I can't- I can't be away from them any longer."

He had dropped the subject, looking at me with sympathy and disappointment in his eyes. I knew he wanted me to stay and have the perfect brother-sister relationship. In hindsight, I guess he'd been lonely. Everyone else at camp had siblings or half-siblings to share their lives with, and he'd had no one. Truth is, I didn't want to go to a camp where I'd be classified by my father. Don't get me wrong, Percy's great, but my father was a dick. I wanted nothing to do with him.

"Hey," someone shouldered me lightly. "You alright?" Will's voice brought me back to the present.

"Fine," I said, not looking at him. "Just lost in thought."

"Well, focus for a bit, if you think you can manage that," he teased. "Do you want to see the camp?"

I forced a smile on my face. "Why not?"

Will showed me around. I saw the sword arena, the archery range (I practiced a few times there and, thanks to Artemis's blessing, hit them spot on,) and the horseshoe-shaped cabins, which were sorted by godly parent only if they were major gods. The children of the minor gods, as well as those who were unclaimed, stayed in the Hermes cabin. _A flawed system, _I thought. Lastly, Will took me to the stables by the lake.

"Whoa!" I exclaimed, seeing all the pegasi. I recognized Blackjack, Porkpie, and Guido. Down near the waterfront, by the edge of the pasture, I found another familiar face.

"Oh, that's a new one," Will said, looking at her. "I've never seen her before."

"That's Tamesis!" I called. "She came to get us at Mt. Tam. I jumped over the wooden fence blocking the pasture- which was useless anyways, I mean, these guys had wings, they could jump a fence- and ran over to her.

_Hello, princess._

_ Hey, Tamesis. I'm glad you got back safely._

_ I'm sorry your meeting with your father did not go well. _

_ How did you know?_

_ I am your guardian. I can sense your distress. _

_ Well, thanks, I guess. And it kind of sucks that you have to feel my pain. There's a lot of it._

_ I am well aware. It is why I chose you over your brother as my charge. Perseus is strong and brave. He has been through much, but he has everyone's support. You, however, have gone through so much suffering and yet still came out of it as a leader without any support but that of your flock. Despite your brother's upcoming dealings with the prophecy- and, yes, I do believe it will be him, and not you, to make the choice to save or destroy Olympus- you have big things ahead of you. I am here to make sure you get through it like you did in the past- without pain or corruption._

_ I don't know about that, _I thought, thinking about my despair over Jeb's disappearance and Iggy's blindness. Not to mention, if I ever saw any of those creeps from The School again, I'd rip them to pieces.

_You felt pain, princess, but it did not corrupt you. _She paused. _Your friend is watching us. _

I turned to see Will staring at me with an odd expression on his face, regarding our exchange. _Oops._

I smiled at him, and then walked back to where he was standing outside the fence.

_See you later, Tamesis._

_ Goodbye, princess._

"Were- were you _talking _to her?" he sputtered.

"Don't be ridiculous," I scoffed. "You know only children of Poseidon can do that." I stood in front of him and smirked a little to myself at that.

_Careful, Max._

_ Hush, you._

Will shrugged. "Okay, well, we better get you to the Big House. The council is about to start. Normally, it's just cabin leaders, but were a part of the quest, so you need to be there. Come on, I'll show you where to go."

"Okay," I agreed, jumping over the fence and following him.

About an hour later, ten campers, a centaur that had been introduced as Chiron, a fat-bellied god named Mr. D, and I were sitting around a ping pong table munching on cheese doodles and sipping from Coke cans while Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and I told our adventures in the Titan's layer. A while into the meeting, a pale, scrawny kid burst through the doors.

"Hey! Where's- where's my sister?"

Dead silence. I looked at this kid and realized he must have been Bianca's brother. Apparently, no one had told him that his sister wouldn't return with the rest of the group.

_Way to go, assholes, _I thought, as they all looked at Percy to deliver the bad news. I winced. He doesn't exactly have the best tact.

"Hey, Nico," he said, getting up from his chair. "Let's take a walk, okay? We need to talk."

After they left, it was an unsaid agreement that the meeting was over and everyone was dismissed. I walked outside, intent on finding them, but Annabeth stopped me in my tracks.

"Max," she called, steel in her voice. "I need to talk to you."

I sighed. She hadn't been the friendliest person to me in our previous brief interactions. This wasn't going to be fun. "What?"

"Why are you here?" She demanded.

I raised an eyebrow. "Well, I would be somewhere else, but you stopped me from leaving," I smirked, rolling my eyes. "I'm a half-blood, just like you. I have a right to be here, too."

"I just think it's funny that you're thirteen years old, yet no one's ever heard of you until you turn up on a quest almost immediately after one of the Huntresses dies," she remarked sharply.

I shrugged. "What can I say? Must be fate."

"Must be," she glared daggers at me. "If you hurt Percy, I _will_ kill you. The Titans must have sent you to spy. No one else at camp has the anti-god attitude you do."

I sneered at her. If Percy wasn't in love with the girl, I would have fought her right there and then, but I knew my brother well enough to know that he values his friends more than anything. "I am a lot of things, Annabeth, not many of them are good, but a traitor isn't one of them. Percy is my _friend, _and, while I may not _like _a _select few _of the gods, that doesn't mean that I'm going to tag-team with their enemies who, by the way, _tried to kill me."_

Over her shoulder, I saw Percy emerging from the woods, a look of panic on his face. "Everything okay?" I called.

"Hades," he gasped.

"What? What did Hades do?" Annabeth questioned.

"He had kids. Nico and Bianca."

My eyes widened. "So- Hades broke the oath, too?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Bianca said she and Nico stayed at the Lotus Hotel and Casino for a while. It's a place where you kind of get stuck in time," he explained to me, noticing my confusion at the name. "They must have been there for seventy years."

"Where's Nico now?" I asked. Percy's face fell.

"He ran off into the woods. I couldn't stop him and now I can't find him." Percy's expression was so upset that I took pity on him.

"We'll find him," I said. "Come on, let's go look. I bet he's in there somewhere."

Percy went to get Grover and together the four of us searched for hours. It got darker and it was almost eleven o'clock when I noticed a slight movement of an obscure figure in the shadows. Normal eyes wouldn't have picked up on it. Hell, mutant eyes wouldn't have picked up on it, but I wasn't your average mutant. I had grown up with Fang, king of silence and sneakiness. It was impossible to not adapt to the shadows after being attacked randomly by someone who blended so well with them.

I focused my sight where the movement came from and, sure enough, Nico di Angelo was curled up between two rocks, clearly trying not to be seen. His eyes were wide as he looked at me in fear.

"Max," Percy called, "Did you find anything?"

Nico flinched at the sound of my brother's voice and he watched me, terrified. I made a split-second decision.

"Nothing!" I replied. Nico's eyes widened marginally and I put a finger to my lips to tell him to be quiet.

"Alright! I'm going to go check on Annabeth and Grover, then go back to the cabins before curfew! Meet you there?"

"Okay!" 

I listened to his footsteps fade away and as soon as I was sure he was out of earshot, I knelt down in front of Nico.

"You okay, kid?"

"My sister is dead," he replied, shaking. "Nothing is okay. And I'm not a kid!"

I knew there was nothing to say to this, so I sat next to him in silence for a few moments until he spoke again. "Why didn't you tell him I was here?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Because you clearly don't want to be here, and forcing you to stay would only make you want to leave more." I paused and looked over at him. "But I don't think you should be alone out there either."

"My sister is dead," he repeated. "What choice do I have? There's no one left. I'm alone. Besides, I can take care of myself."

"Maybe," I shrugged. "But it still sucks."

"How would you know?"

"I've been in that situation before. I don't have parents. My- my friends and I, we stick together, but sometimes we're alone, too." I bit my lip, trying to find the best way to approach this. I rummaged through the pockets on my windbreaker, which was sweltering hot in the summer heat, but necessary to hide my wings. I found a purple mini sharpie, a ten-dollar bill, and an empty Snickers wrapper. I quickly wrote something on the wrapper and then handed it and the money to Nico. "Here. It's my number. I know we don't know each other, but if you ever get in a tight spot and you think you need someone, call me and I'll be there, okay?"

"Why?" he questioned, looking at me in awe.

"Because I understand."

He looked at me and then took the crumpled items out of my hand. "I'm Nico," he said.

"I'm Max." I stuck out my hand, which he shook. "Maximum Ride. It's been a pleasure, Nico, but I have to get back before someone starts looking for _me. _I'll see you around. And, hey, take care of yourself, kid." I turned away and walked back towards camp. When I looked back, there was nothing but shadows and forest. I smiled sadly for a second, and then walked away.

That's it for the chapter. It's the last chapter; the epilogue will be up sometimes this week. (I really promise this time!) Thank you all so much for reviewing and following this story and me. I'm going to be writing a sequel (actually two) to this, so I hope you liked this story. Let me know what you think!

-AJ


	20. Epilogue: Hello, Goodbye

Epilogue- Flight of the Tides

**Hey, guys. I know it's been a while but you wouldn't believe the workload I've had since school started. Sorry about that. This is the final chapter of this story. I'm so sad to see it go. I started working on it three years ago. I can't believe it's over. Don't worry; still planning the sequel, but this is a milestone that I can't believe I've reached. **

"_Like the ocean I wave. Hello and goodbye are the same, when I talk with my hand."-_ Jarod Kintz

Max POV

Saying goodbye was harder than I thought it would be. Despite my guards and principles, I'd grown to care for Percy and some of the others. I'd never be as close to him as I was Fang or Iggy, but Percy was my brother by blood, no matter how much I hated that connection. I cared about him. I didn't want to see his face when I left. So I put it off until last.

I said goodbye to Grover first. It was easy. The goat-boy was cool, but we hadn't exactly been close during the quest. In fact, Will was the one who I had a hard time leaving. I was surprised how much it hurt to say goodbye, not really knowing if I was going to see him again. During my time at Camp Half-Blood, he'd been the one to show me the ropes. He was nice to me when everyone else turned to Annabeth as their leader and scorned me as she did, which is why, when the time came, I surprised myself with my reaction.

"Ha!" I exclaimed as my arrow hit the center of the dummy. After Artemis had blessed me, she'd allowed me to keep the bow Zoe had given me. Of course, I'd experimented with other weapons while at camp and found I really preferred a dagger to any long-range weapon. I'd never liked guns because I felt like they gave an unfair advantage to the user, but arrows weren't so bad. I still favored hand-to-hand combat over anything though.

"Don't get cocky," Will said from behind me. "That was a lucky shot." I turned incredulously to see him with a teasing smile on his face.

"Lucky my ass!" I responded with a smirk. "Didn't you hear? I'm blessed."

"Blessed with infinite arrogance," he snorted. "I still have no idea how that happened, by the way. The gods don't take well to rejection, _especially _when they offer you something as big as an eternal leadership position in their ranks."

Truth be told, I didn't get it either. When Artemis had asked me to be lieutenant alongside Thalia, I'd been shocked and, well, flattered. A real, live goddess wanted me by her side for all eternity as a warrior? That kind of stuff only happens in movies. But, gratifying as it was, I knew I couldn't accept the offer. I was expecting to be turned into an antelope when I'd voiced it, but instead I'd been _blessed. _Actually blessed. Hollywood has nothing on this.

"Me too. I guess she was just impressed by my mad sky-holding skills," I shot a grin his way.

"Well, whatever it was, it wasn't as creepy as whatever the Big Three wanted from you," his expression growing serious. "I thought Hades was going to kill you when he came over."

I shrugged. "I don't know. He seems more the torture type. Prolonged pain. Zeus, now, he would've killed me, probably. Just as quick as a bolt of that lovely lightning he's so fond of." I smirked. "You know I can't talk about that."

"Yeah, I know," he said with a rueful smile. "So, are you thinking about staying?"

My face fell. Somehow, unexplainably, Will had become my friend in a matter of the few days I'd been at camp. I found myself not _wanting _to leave him, despite my family back in Colorado. "No," I said. "I have people who need me back home. I've been gone too long as it is."

He smiled sadly. "I get that." It was silent for a couple minutes while I shot a few more arrows, each one hitting the center of my target. "Are you planning on coming back in the summer?' He asked.

I shrugged. "Maybe," I replied, even though I knew it wasn't likely. Will may have been my friend, but the Flock was my priority, and being away from even for the past week had been a nightmare. "We'll see how it goes."

"You need to train," he said. "Even the unclaimed have to fight monsters."

I turned and grinned at him. "I know how to fight," I smirked. I'd been fighting all my life. The only thing that had changed was the enemy.

"Besides," I continued, firing off another arrow, "You're the only one here who likes me."

"That's not true!" Will protested.

"No?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him while I picked up more arrows from the table. "Because Annabeth glares at me every time she sees me and calls me the evil scum of the Earth, people avoid me because she's been spreading rumors around camp that I'm spying for the Titans, and everyone's been giving me suspicious looks since the minute I got here."

"Well, what about Percy, then?" he pushed. "You know he cares about you!"

I sighed. "Yeah, Percy." I couldn't deny that he cared. He'd been talking to me nearly every minute since I'd gotten to the camp about how excited he was to finally have someone else and how great it was going to be to have a sister around. I hadn't exactly returned the feeling. I cared about him, of course, but I'd much rather have Iggy around as my brother than a guy I'd met a week ago.

"See? You do have someone."

"Honestly, Will, I don't know. I'm really busy a lot of the time. Not to mention, I can't leave my group, and they're all mortal."

"Well, either way, keep in touch after you leave, okay? Whether you come during the summers or not," he said giving me a hopeful look.

"Okay," I said, reluctantly. It wasn't good to grow attached. I couldn't afford to have connections in places where the School could track me, but Will was so earnest and nice, so I decided it was worth it.

"So when are you planning on leaving?" he asked after a few more shots.

"Tonight," I said. It would be best to leave at night, so no one saw my wings. "While everyone's at the campfire."

He looked at me sadly. "I'm going to miss you, Max."

"You too," I said. Then, because as in all sappy moments, affection must be shown, he pulled me into a hug. I stiffened for a moment before relaxing slightly and wrapping my arms around his back loosely. We stood there for a while before the dinner bell rang and we separated, gathering our weapons, and heading to the mess hall.

As hard as parting with Will was, I knew Percy would be harder, so I put it off as long as I could. I ate dinner at the Hermes table, with the unclaimed kids, plus two guys named Travis and Connor who sent a pang in my chest as they pulled pranks that reminded me of my own two tricksters back home. When Percy tried to approach me afterwards, I snuck off to the cabin to grab my bag. Will had supplied me with enough ambrosia and nectar to get by for a while in case I got attacked by any monsters and needed healing, but he warned me that any mortal who consumed it would burn up. I decided to take his word for it.

It wasn't until the campfire that I decided I'd waited long enough. I caught Percy's eye across the fire and jerked my head towards the woods, before walking in that direction, expecting him to follow me. When I reached a spot where I thought we were out of hearing range, I stopped and turned to wait for him to catch up.

"What's up, Max?" Percy asked with a slight smile on his face.

"I'm leaving," I said bluntly.

"Wh-what?" He asked, shocked. "But- when?"

"Now," I swallowed, seeing his downtrodden look. "I need to get home soon."

"I- I don't want you to leave." His voice cracked sadly and I felt a lump in my throat.

"I know, Perce," I said softly. He didn't really get it. The campers were his family. He didn't have someone states away that depended on him. "I can't stay."

He pulled me into a hug and I didn't hesitate before wrapping my arms around him.

_I have been doing way too much of this recently._

"I'm going to miss you so much," he murmured into my shoulder.

"I'll miss you too," I whispered, resting my cheek against his chest. "But I'll Iris Message you, I promise. You're not getting away from me that easily."

We pulled apart and he sniffed, rubbing his sleeve across his face. "You better."

I chuckled, surprised to find tears forming in my eyes. "Gods, Percy. You're so demanding. Is this what I missed out on? The bossy older brother? Because, if so, I'm glad I did and I want to send you back to wherever you came from."

He laughed with a choked sob in the motion, a sad sound that made me want to hug him again. Instead I stepped back and straightened myself up.

"Don't worry, Jackson, you'll be sick of me eventually," I promised. "I'll see you later, Percy."

"Bye, little sis."

"I am _not _little!" I screamed, running off into the woods to a cliff looking out over the beach where I jumped off, unfurling my wings and flying off to the West.

To the Flock.

To_ home. _

There were no lights on in the E-House when I arrived. I assumed that in my absence, Fang had put the Flock to sleep. But I knew he would be up, waiting for me. I did the same when he was gone. I went three days without sleep to watch the skies for him to return, so it wasn't surprising that when I touched down on the roof, he was there, blending into the darkness of the night, his black eyes

"Hey," I said, awkwardly. We hadn't exactly ended on a good note before I left. He lifted his head and I flinched at his stare. He said nothing, as he normally did, keeping up the silent image that he normally dropped with my. I bit my lip. "So, um… I'm back."

He glared at me, unimpressed, raising an eyebrow fractionally. _Really?_

I sighed at sat down next to him. "I didn't mean to be gone so long. My friend needed some help."

"Your friend?" He asked skeptically. "And what friend is that? You've never met anyone outside of the Flock and the School."

"I met him when I was gone," I said. "At the Hoover Dam."

"And you just decided to hang out?" He asked angrily.

"No!" I protested. "It wasn't- it wasn't like that. His friend had been kidnapped by-" I choked. My hand flew to my throat and I struggled to breathe.

_I swear on the River Styx to never tell anyone that I am an avian hybrid or that I am the daughter of Poseidon._

My own voice hissed in my head, like a ghost haunting me. My vision became dark and I heard Fang yell my name in panic before it all disappeared just as fast as it came.

_Okay, okay. Message received, _I thought. _No talking about the Greeks around Fang._

Apparently, the Styx bites.

"Alright?" Fang asked, looking at me with dark, concerned eyes.

I met his gaze and swallowed. "Yeah, I- I'm fine."

"What was that?"

His voice was full of concern and anxiety, a rare sign of emotion from my usually- stoic best friend.

Then again, if it had happened to him, I'm not sure how calm I'd be either.

"It- it was nothing. Just a headache," I forced out, praying he didn't see through my lie.

He looked at me skeptically. "Must have been some headache."

"It was," I said, begging him to let the subject drop. Mercifully, he did. Unfortunately, he decided to return to the previous topic.

"So then what? Where were you the past _week?"_ He was angry again.

"I told you," I said. "I was helping a friend."

"Well, I'm glad everything is okay in Amity Park," he said caustically.

"Fang, -"

"The Flock comes first, Max. It always has. _You _told us that. Maybe you should listen to your own advice." His eyes burned into mine. I stepped back, feeling as if I'd been slapped.

"You know the Flock means more to me than anything!" I exclaimed, defensive. "If I'd thought you were in trouble, I would've been here! And it's not like you can talk! You left, too!" I knew the instant I said it that I'd gone too far, but I didn't care. Fang had basically insinuated that I didn't care about the Flock, and that was way out of line. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, trying to calm myself.

"Look," I said, more controlled and less harsh, "We both screwed up. Neither of us should have left and we both said some things we shouldn't have." I watched him as I spoke and saw an unidentifiable emotion cross his face, quickly cleared. "I really don't want to fight with you, Fang. Not today. " _Not ever. _

He relented, nodding slightly. "You're our leader, Max. You can't leave. Without you, we'll fall apart."

I sighed and walked over to the couch, unceremoniously flopping myself down, curling my legs up underneath me. Fang came over and sat next to me, wrapping an arm around me and rubbing the sensitive spot between my wings. "I won't leave, Fang, but neither can you," I sighed, resting my head on his shoulder. "I may be the leader, but you're my right-hand man. I need you with me, too." I pulled my head up to look at him. "Okay?"

"Okay," he replied, looking at me with deep, dark eyes. The anger had faded away, replaced with a-well, I didn't want to say vulnerability, because, come on, this was _Fang, _but there was an almost-tender emotion in his eyes. I leaned my head back on his shoulder.

"So," I said after a moment of comfortable silence. "How was _your_ week?"

He groaned. "I don't know how you do this every day, I caught Iggy and Gazzy with three bombs. Nudge absolutely refused to go to bed when she was supposed to, and Angel wanted me to play dolls with her every minute if every day. It was exhausting," he complained.

I grinned at the image of Fang playing dolls with a little, five-year-old girl. "Please tell me someone took pictures of that."

"I never said I did it," he said with a smirk.

"Yeah," I replied with a viscous smile, "But you can't resist those little Bambi eyes any more than the rest of us."

He rolled his eyes and shoved me, nearly knocking me off the couch before I laughed and pushed back; glad our relationship was back to normal.

_I was running through the woods, panting and exhausted but unable to stop. There was something following me. I didn't know what. A monster. _

_ I heard a growl and turn to see a two-headed dog behind me. I gasped and backed up several steps only for my back to slam up against a tree._

_ I was trapped. _

_ The dog's two heads growled again, baring its huge, sharp canines. _Ouch, _I flinched, thinking about the ways those teeth could rip apart human flesh like it was nothing. This thing probably ate bigger creatures than me for breakfast. The dog-creature moved forwards and I lunged to the side, rolling out of the way of the beast, narrowly avoiding being munched on. _

_ I looked up to see that the dog had a snake instead of a tail._

Perfect, _I thought. _A two-headed, snake-tailed dog. My favorite.

_I turned tail and rain sideways, deeper into the forest that seemed to be getting thicker and thicker the more I ran. The dog was right on my heels. I was running out of breath but there wasn't any time to stop. If I even paused, I'd be dead. I kept running. _

_ I came upon a cliff and skidded to a stop then turning on my heels and darting to the left, around the edge of the cliff, knowing that if I wasn't fast enough, it would catch me and I'd be dinner. I sprinted down the cliff's side, stumbling over rocks, jagged edges, and sliding through pebbles. _

Crap, crap, crap, _I chanted in my head. If I didn't find a way out of here _now_…_

_ I got stuck on one of the ledges and pulled down to the ground, skidding across the rough surface and tearing at my skin, leaving jagged scrapes, cuts, and bleeding wounds behind. _

No! _I looked up to see the two-headed dog looming over me, baring his teeth and leaning down. I closed my eyes, wishing I were somewhere, anywhere, else. Somewhere safe. Somewhere where there weren't bloodthirsty monsters out to eat me for dinner. _

_ All of a sudden, I felt something inside me shift, become colder. The darkness around me got thicker and the air icier. I felt like I was being closed into a dark container. I began freaking out and the world disappeared around me. Then, without warning, it became bright again. I looked around to see I was in an alleyway leading out into a crowded city where everyone riding mopeds and bicycles. They had distinctly Asian features. I spotted a sign a couple hundred yards away with foreign writing on it. I mean, I was a demigod, so most languages looked foreign, but this wasn't even a romance language, so there was no way to read it at all. _

Am I in Asia?_ I asked myself. I began to get up to walk away and figure out what happened before I was overcome with nausea. I opened my mouth to throw up-_

And woke up on my bed, gasping for air, my lips curled in a scream.

**A/N: That's it, guys! The end of my story! Can you believe it? It's been years in the making. I'm proud of what I wrote, but I can't wait until I write the sequel, seeing as it deals with the majority of the angst I'm so fond of. Seriously, thank you all for sticking with me to the end, and to my lovely pushy reviewers for reminding me of my updates when I had left it alone for months at a time. I'm not going to be writing the next one for a couple of months. I need to get out of this semester before I do anything else. My exams start the 7****th**** of January and continue through the 16****th****. So I'll probably post the next story in February. **

**Thank you so much! For one last time,**

**Review please!**

**Abby**


	21. Sequel Alert

Hey, guys!

I just wanted to let you know that the sequel has been posted. It's up on my page and in the archive as The Raven and the Reaper. Go check it out!

Abby


End file.
